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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bay · scale · stick · track · hide · bat · bark · current

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. scale — in music
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. track — to keep track
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. scale — size or range
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. current — of water
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. current — happening now
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. track — a path
  19. current — electric
  20. track — a song
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. bark — to shout
  24. bark — of a tree

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