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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. board — to get on
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. degree — temperature
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. pass — a permit
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. pound — a weight
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. degree — from a university
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. track — a path
  15. track — a song
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. board — a committee
  18. stand — to bear
  19. degree — an amount
  20. press — a publisher
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. press — newspapers
  23. press — to push
  24. stand — on your feet

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