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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. track — a song
  4. can — to be able to
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. squash — the sport
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. squash — to crush
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. track — a path
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. pass — a permit
  16. can — a tin
  17. root — the cause
  18. can — a tin
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. root — of a plant
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. root — of a word
  24. pass — to succeed

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