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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 120 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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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 path
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. rock — a stone
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. pass — a permit
  8. dip — to sink
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. stand — to bear
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. foot — a measure
  17. track — a song
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. mine — for digging
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. rock — music
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. stand — for spectators

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