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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pass — a permit
  4. lie — to recline
  5. spell — a short time
  6. land — to come down
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. current — of water
  10. present — there
  11. present — the time now
  12. spell — magic
  13. spell — letters
  14. track — to keep track
  15. present — a gift
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. land — ground
  18. land — a country
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. track — a path
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. current — happening now
  23. current — electric
  24. pass — to succeed

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