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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 120 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: scale · mate · track · wake · safe · chip · rush · land

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. mate — to breed
  3. track — a path
  4. land — to come down
  5. land — a country
  6. chip — to eat
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. wake — a trail
  10. mate — a friend
  11. rush — hurry
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. chip — for betting
  15. track — to keep track
  16. scale — in music
  17. scale — size or range
  18. mate — a partner
  19. land — ground
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. track — a song
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. wake — before a funeral

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