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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.

Make a worksheet

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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. rush — hurry
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. kid — child
  9. wound — an injury
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. track — to keep track
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. bass — the fish
  16. track — a song
  17. bass — low music
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. kid — to tease
  21. wound — an injury
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. rush — to hurry

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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