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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. track — to keep track
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. fall — to drop
  6. tear — from crying
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. track — a song
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. fall — to drop
  11. dip — to sink
  12. club — a group
  13. tear — to rip
  14. club — for golf
  15. club — for dancing
  16. pass — a permit
  17. tear — from crying
  18. track — a path

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