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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. perch — the fish
  3. track — a path
  4. file — a line of people
  5. cue — a signal
  6. rush — hurry
  7. file — a tool
  8. track — a song
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. pass — a permit
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. current — of water
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. current — happening now
  15. cue — for pool
  16. file — a document
  17. cue — a hint
  18. suit — clothes
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. suit — to fit
  21. track — to keep track
  22. current — electric
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. suit — in cards

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