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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. track — to keep track
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. pound — a weight
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. suit — to fit
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. track — a path
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. suit — clothes
  14. track — a song
  15. pass — a permit
  16. suit — in cards
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. band — a ring

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