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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.

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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. track — to keep track
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. board — to get on
  6. lean — thin
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. board — a committee
  9. track — a path
  10. track — a song
  11. mark — a trace
  12. mark — a grade
  13. toast — bread
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. lean — to bend
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. toast — a drink to someone

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