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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. ball — a dance
  3. track — a song
  4. wax — to grow
  5. track — to keep track
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. track — a path
  8. squash — to crush
  9. pound — a weight
  10. suit — in cards
  11. chip — to eat
  12. pass — a permit
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. squash — the sport
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. ball — a great time
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. suit — to fit
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. chip — for betting

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