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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: safe · rush · roll · band · track · chip · present · scale

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. track — to keep track
  3. present — the time now
  4. scale — size or range
  5. band — a ring
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. present — there
  8. rush — hurry
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. roll — a cake
  13. band — a music group
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. scale — in music
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. chip — for betting
  19. track — a song
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. chip — to eat
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. roll — a list
  24. present — a gift

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