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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 116 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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. staff — employees
  7. staff — employees
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. track — a path
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. staff — a stick
  12. band — a ring
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. track — to keep track
  16. band — a music group
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. pound — a weight
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. lean — thin
  21. lean — to bend
  22. pitch — completely
  23. track — a song
  24. pass — to spend time

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