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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. saw — the tool
  6. pass — a permit
  7. track — a path
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. track — a song
  10. cap — of ice
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. cap — a hat
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. saw — the tool
  15. cap — a lid
  16. track — to keep track
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. rock — music

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