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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. bat — the animal
  6. track — to keep track
  7. dip — to sink
  8. track — a path
  9. wake — a trail
  10. court — of a king
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. track — a song
  14. court — of law
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. court — for sport
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. board — a committee
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. board — to get on

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