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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: pound · tear · safe · snap · squash · track · lie · pitch

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — to recline
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. tear — from crying
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. track — to keep track
  7. snap — to click
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. track — a path
  10. pound — a weight
  11. squash — to crush
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. pitch — completely
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. tear — from crying
  16. track — a song
  17. tear — to rip
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. squash — the sport

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