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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
468
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: chest · pitcher · arm · track · bound · saw · safe · bay

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. chest — a box
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. track — to keep track
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bound — obliged
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bound — tied together
  12. chest — of your body
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. bound — certain
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. track — a path
  21. chest — of your body
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. saw — the tool

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