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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. track — a song
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. track — a path
  7. firm — steady
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. race — a contest
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. firm — decided
  12. pass — a permit
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. firm — a company
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. race — humankind
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. race — the arms race
  24. wave — of the sea

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