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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. object — to protest
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. current — happening now
  7. current — of water
  8. rock — music
  9. drill — a practice
  10. track — a song
  11. object — an aim
  12. drill — army training
  13. track — a path
  14. current — electric
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. drill — the tool
  17. track — to keep track
  18. object — a thing

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