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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. charge — in control
  4. bark — to shout
  5. track — a song
  6. charge — a price
  7. charge — electricity
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. cap — a hat
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. suit — clothes
  12. suit — in cards
  13. track — a path
  14. cap — a lid
  15. wound — an injury
  16. cap — of ice
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. wound — an injury
  20. suit — to fit
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. track — to keep track
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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