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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.

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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: pitcher · wake · safe · racket · deal · track

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. track — a path
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. deal — to handle
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. wake — a trail
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. track — a song
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. track — to keep track
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. racket — a loud noise

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