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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 116 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: key · fine · pitch · calf · chip · track · bark · stock

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. chip — for betting
  4. pitch — completely
  5. bark — to shout
  6. track — a song
  7. track — a path
  8. chip — to eat
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. key — for a lock
  11. track — to keep track
  12. key — in music
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. stock — goods
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. fine — high quality
  20. fine — all right
  21. stock — shares
  22. key — the most important part
  23. calf — a young animal
  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