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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 124 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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. track — a path
  4. rash — a series
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. bass — the fish
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. club — for dancing
  11. pass — a permit
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. stem — to come from
  14. club — a group
  15. rash — hasty
  16. track — a song
  17. bass — low music
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. club — for golf
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. track — to keep track

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