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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. tube — the underground
  3. key — for a lock
  4. track — a song
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. key — in music
  7. root — of a plant
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. pass — a permit
  10. rush — hurry
  11. root — of a word
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. tube — a container
  14. key — the most important part
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — for money
  20. firm — steady
  21. root — the cause
  22. firm — decided
  23. firm — a company
  24. track — a path

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