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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. pop — music
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. craft — boats
  7. last — final
  8. cue — a hint
  9. track — a path
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. track — to keep track
  15. pop — to visit
  16. pop — soda
  17. last — to go on
  18. last — finally
  19. craft — a skill
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. cue — for pool
  22. cue — a signal
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. pass — a permit

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