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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. pass — a permit
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. ball — a dance
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. swing — music
  11. season — in sport
  12. swing — in golf
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. race — humankind
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. swing — to play on
  19. race — a contest
  20. season — of the year
  21. track — to keep track
  22. ball — a great time
  23. race — the arms race
  24. track — a path

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