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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: date · mug · rush · craft · bass · chest · track · lash

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. chest — a box
  3. mug — to rob
  4. date — the fruit
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. track — a path
  12. bass — the fish
  13. bass — low music
  14. chest — of your body
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. craft — a skill
  17. craft — boats
  18. mug — a cup
  19. mug — a face
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. rush — hurry
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. chest — of your body
  24. track — a song

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