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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  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. staff — employees
  2. pop — soda
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. staff — a stick
  5. pop — to visit
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. suit — to fit
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. suit — in cards
  10. clip — to cut
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. clip — a video
  13. track — to keep track
  14. wake — a trail
  15. track — a song
  16. pass — a permit
  17. pop — music
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. lie — to recline
  20. suit — clothes
  21. staff — employees
  22. track — a path
  23. clip — for paper
  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