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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: rash · last · roll · straw · mouse · pit · deal · track

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. roll — a cake
  4. last — to go on
  5. rash — a series
  6. pit — a hole
  7. track — a path
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. last — finally
  15. track — a song
  16. roll — a list
  17. pit — in a race
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. track — to keep track
  20. deal — to handle
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. last — final

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