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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: track · swing · toast · rock · wound · safe · straw · bore

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. toast — bread
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. rock — music
  6. track — a path
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. swing — to play on
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. swing — music
  11. track — a song
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. rock — a stone
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. bore — to drill
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. bore — to tire
  21. wound — an injury
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. wound — an injury
  24. swing — in golf

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