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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: wound · saw · track · staff · bark · safe · bowl · mark

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. track — to keep track
  4. saw — the tool
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. track — a path
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. saw — the tool
  15. wound — an injury
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. bark — to shout
  18. staff — employees
  19. mark — a grade
  20. track — a song
  21. mark — a trace
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. staff — a stick

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