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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. lean — to bend
  3. mine — for digging
  4. track — to keep track
  5. track — a path
  6. rock — a stone
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. can — to be able to
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. track — a song
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. saw — the tool
  13. rock — music
  14. can — a tin
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. can — a tin
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lean — thin
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. lie — to recline
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. saw — the tool

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