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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. cue — a hint
  3. lean — to bend
  4. lean — thin
  5. cue — a signal
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. degree — an amount
  8. pass — a permit
  9. track — to keep track
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. degree — from a university
  12. chip — for betting
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. degree — temperature
  16. chip — to eat
  17. track — a song
  18. track — a path
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. toast — bread
  23. cue — for pool
  24. coach — a trainer

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