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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. squash — the sport
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. track — to keep track
  7. bear — the animal
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. bank — for money
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. bank — for money
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bank — of a river
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. rash — a series
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. track — a song
  18. bear — the animal
  19. pound — a weight
  20. rash — hasty
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. track — a path
  23. squash — to crush
  24. rash — on the skin

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