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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.

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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: pit · track · safe · spring · nail · lean · pass · perch

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. spring — the season
  5. track — a song
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. lean — to bend
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. pit — a hole
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. track — a path
  17. spring — a coil
  18. lean — thin
  19. pit — in a race
  20. perch — the fish
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. spring — of water

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