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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  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. pass — a permit
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mark — a trace
  6. charge — electricity
  7. charge — a price
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. tube — a container
  12. rush — hurry
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. tube — the underground
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. track — a song
  17. mark — a grade
  18. track — to keep track
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. track — a path
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. bark — to shout
  23. charge — in control
  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