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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: roll · file · pitcher · band · arm · track · bass · safe

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. track — a song
  3. file — a document
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. band — a ring
  8. roll — a list
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. file — a tool
  14. roll — a cake
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. file — a line of people
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. track — to keep track
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bass — low music
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. band — a music group
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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