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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 116 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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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: safe · deal · track · prune · suit · racket · bat · ground

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. prune — to trim
  3. ground — crushed
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. track — a song
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. suit — clothes
  8. track — to keep track
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. deal — to handle
  13. track — a path
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. suit — to fit
  16. ground — the earth
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. suit — in cards
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bat — the animal
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. ground — a position

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