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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. track — a song
  4. rest — a break
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. track — a path
  9. rock — a stone
  10. track — to keep track
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. pass — a permit
  13. rest — what's left
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. rock — music
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. rest — what's left
  18. leaves — of a tree

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