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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 who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. present — a gift
  3. present — there
  4. fall — to drop
  5. present — the time now
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. tube — the underground
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. pound — a weight
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. track — to keep track
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. board — to get on
  15. fall — the season
  16. track — a song
  17. track — a path
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. board — a committee
  22. tube — a container
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. pass — a permit

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