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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 120 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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. spring — the season
  4. charge — a price
  5. charge — electricity
  6. pass — a permit
  7. track — a song
  8. vault — a safe
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. spring — a coil
  11. net — for catching
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. net — after costs
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. net — in sport
  21. spring — of water
  22. bat — the animal
  23. track — to keep track
  24. charge — in control

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