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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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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 · snap · bound · squash · pound · track · fall · lash

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bound — obliged
  4. track — a song
  5. fall — the season
  6. pound — a weight
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. bound — certain
  10. squash — the sport
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. track — a path
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. track — to keep track
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. squash — to crush
  21. fall — to drop
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. snap — to click

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