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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 120 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: calf · pitch · track · scale · pound · wake · mark · bore

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. track — a song
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. bore — to drill
  5. scale — in music
  6. wake — a trail
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. pitch — completely
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. pound — a weight
  12. scale — size or range
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. mark — a grade
  18. bore — to tire
  19. track — to keep track
  20. track — a path
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. mark — a trace
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. pound — for dogs

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