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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. bark — to shout
  3. track — a path
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. rest — a break
  7. track — a song
  8. track — to keep track
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. bank — for money
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. last — finally
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bank — for money
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rest — what's left
  18. bear — the animal
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. last — final
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. last — to go on
  23. bear — the animal
  24. stand — to bear

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