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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 116 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: pitcher · nail · can · chip · track · bass · lash · race

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. chip — for betting
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. chip — to eat
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. bass — low music
  7. race — a contest
  8. can — a tin
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. bass — the fish
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. race — the arms race
  18. can — to be able to
  19. can — a tin
  20. track — a song
  21. track — to keep track
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. race — humankind

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