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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. track — a path
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. ball — a dance
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. press — newspapers
  9. track — to keep track
  10. press — to push
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. snap — to click
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. ball — a great time
  17. press — a publisher
  18. rash — hasty
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. rash — a series
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. pass — a permit
  24. track — a song

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