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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. march — the month
  4. cue — a signal
  5. dip — to sink
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. bear — the animal
  8. tube — the underground
  9. pop — soda
  10. cue — a hint
  11. cue — for pool
  12. tube — a container
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pop — music
  17. bear — the animal
  18. pass — a permit
  19. track — a path
  20. track — a song
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. march — music
  23. pop — to visit
  24. march — the month

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