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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 116 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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. pass — a permit
  3. present — there
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. track — to keep track
  6. cue — for pool
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. wax — to grow
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. track — a path
  15. cue — a hint
  16. ball — a dance
  17. present — a gift
  18. snap — to click
  19. present — the time now
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. cue — a signal
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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