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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. row — to paddle
  3. row — a line
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. rock — music
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. pass — a permit
  8. rock — a stone
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. rest — what's left
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. net — after costs
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. rest — what's left
  18. track — a path
  19. chair — a leader
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. rest — a break
  22. net — in sport
  23. track — a song
  24. net — for catching

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