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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 · rash · bank · ball · safe · lash · fork · wound

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. bank — of a river
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. track — a path
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. fork — in a road
  9. wound — an injury
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. rash — a series
  14. bank — for money
  15. track — a song
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. ball — a dance
  21. rash — hasty
  22. bank — for money
  23. wound — an injury
  24. track — to keep track

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