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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. staff — employees
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pass — a permit
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. staff — a stick
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. land — a country
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. staff — employees
  18. land — ground
  19. cue — a signal
  20. cue — a hint
  21. track — a path
  22. track — a song
  23. cue — for pool
  24. land — to come down

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