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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 116 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. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. cold — an illness
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. bulb — for light
  5. club — a group
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. track — a path
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. pass — a permit
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. club — for dancing
  13. track — a song
  14. press — newspapers
  15. cold — not warm
  16. press — to push
  17. bulb — for light
  18. club — for golf
  19. press — a publisher
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. lash — to lash out

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