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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
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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 · safe · pitch · rush · mark · row · wave · chest

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  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. track — a path
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. row — a line
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. chest — a box
  8. mark — a trace
  9. pitch — completely
  10. track — to keep track
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. track — a song
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. row — to paddle
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — hurry
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. chest — of your body
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. chest — of your body
  22. mark — a grade
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  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