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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. track — a path
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. pound — a weight
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. rest — what's left
  11. swing — in golf
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. rest — a break
  14. swing — music
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. stem — to come from
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. rest — what's left
  20. track — a song
  21. pass — a permit
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. track — to keep track
  24. swing — to play on

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