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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. pop — music
  3. can — to be able to
  4. pass — a permit
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. track — to keep track
  7. pop — to visit
  8. key — the most important part
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. key — for a lock
  13. can — a tin
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. can — a tin
  16. kick — in football
  17. track — a path
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. snap — to click
  21. pop — soda
  22. key — in music
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. mouse — the animal

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