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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: pit · deal · track · pound · ball · date · bass · lean

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. bass — low music
  6. ball — a great time
  7. track — a song
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. date — the fruit
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. lean — thin
  14. track — to keep track
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. pit — a hole
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. deal — to handle
  19. track — a path
  20. pit — in a race
  21. bass — the fish
  22. lean — to bend
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. pound — to hit hard

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