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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: bat · safe · pound · bank · track · rule · lie · object

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. rule — government
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. bat — the animal
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. object — to protest
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bank — for money
  11. track — a song
  12. track — a path
  13. object — a thing
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — to recline
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. bank — for money
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. rule — a law
  22. pound — a weight
  23. object — an aim
  24. safe — out of danger

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