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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: club · lie · calf · stick · mark · hand · bay · track

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. club — for golf
  3. track — a path
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. track — a song
  9. hand — help
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. hand — in cards
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — to recline
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mark — a trace
  22. club — for dancing
  23. mark — a grade
  24. club — a group

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com