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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 play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. cue — for pool
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. wind — moving air
  6. bound — obliged
  7. track — a path
  8. march — the month
  9. wind — moving air
  10. march — the month
  11. stand — to bear
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. bound — tied together
  15. cue — a hint
  16. bound — certain
  17. cue — a signal
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. snap — to click
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. pass — a permit
  22. track — to keep track
  23. march — music
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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