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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. pass — a permit
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. rash — a series
  9. clip — for paper
  10. rock — a stone
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. key — for a lock
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. rock — music
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. clip — a video
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. key — in music
  21. key — the most important part
  22. clip — to cut
  23. stand — to bear
  24. rash — hasty

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