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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. pass — a permit
  3. current — happening now
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. track — to keep track
  7. land — a country
  8. bound — certain
  9. current — of water
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. current — electric
  14. chair — a leader
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. track — a path
  17. bound — obliged
  18. shower — to wash
  19. shower — rain
  20. land — ground
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. wax — to grow
  23. land — to come down
  24. bound — tied together

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