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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. spring — a coil
  3. land — a country
  4. mate — to breed
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. rock — a stone
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. rash — hasty
  9. land — to come down
  10. rock — music
  11. track — a path
  12. mate — a partner
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. land — ground
  18. rash — a series
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. track — to keep track
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mate — a friend
  23. spring — of water
  24. spring — the season

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