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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: hide · object · sharp · track · pit · mate · drill · bass

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. track — a song
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. bass — low music
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. mate — a friend
  8. drill — army training
  9. mate — a partner
  10. drill — a practice
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. mate — to breed
  13. object — a thing
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. track — to keep track
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. pit — a hole
  18. object — to protest
  19. object — an aim
  20. sharp — clever
  21. bass — the fish
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. drill — the tool
  24. track — a path

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