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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.

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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: can · club · bark · pit · track · ball · deal · scale

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. club — for golf
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. can — a tin
  5. scale — in music
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. track — a path
  9. club — for dancing
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. pit — a hole
  12. deal — to handle
  13. track — to keep track
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. track — a song
  16. pit — in a race
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. club — a group
  19. can — to be able to
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. can — a tin
  22. ball — a great time
  23. ball — a dance
  24. scale — size or range

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