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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pass — a permit
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. track — a path
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. board — a committee
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. bat — the animal
  14. board — to get on
  15. ground — crushed
  16. ground — the earth
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. rest — a break
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. rest — what's left
  22. ground — a position
  23. rest — what's left
  24. track — to keep track

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