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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.

Words on the sheet
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: track · tube · deal · lash · jam · pitcher · pit · date

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. track — a path
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. deal — to handle
  9. pit — a hole
  10. track — a song
  11. pit — in a race
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. track — to keep track
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. tube — a container
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. date — the fruit
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. tube — in a tire

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