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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: lash · track · pound · chest · mine · safe · pitcher · charge

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. track — a path
  3. chest — a box
  4. pound — a weight
  5. chest — of your body
  6. mine — for digging
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. charge — electricity
  9. charge — a price
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. charge — in control
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. chest — of your body
  18. track — to keep track
  19. track — a song
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. safe — a strongbox

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