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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 120 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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. lean — to bend
  4. track — a path
  5. lean — thin
  6. track — a song
  7. season — of the year
  8. field — a subject
  9. can — a tin
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. suit — to fit
  12. field — for sport
  13. suit — in cards
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. field — farmland
  18. season — in sport
  19. suit — clothes
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. track — to keep track
  22. can — to be able to
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. can — a tin

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