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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: stick · bear · track · pit · chip · land · can · rash

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. can — a tin
  3. land — ground
  4. rash — hasty
  5. pit — in a race
  6. chip — to eat
  7. can — to be able to
  8. chip — for betting
  9. bear — the animal
  10. pit — a hole
  11. land — a country
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. can — a tin
  14. track — a song
  15. track — a path
  16. bear — the animal
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. track — to keep track
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. rash — a series
  21. land — to come down
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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