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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. track — to keep track
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. board — a committee
  7. bear — the animal
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. board — to get on
  10. track — a song
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. track — a path
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. bear — the animal
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. leaves — lets stay

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