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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 116 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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. club — for golf
  3. face — to confront
  4. track — to keep track
  5. bank — for money
  6. track — a path
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. club — a group
  10. face — part of the head
  11. track — a song
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. bank — of a river
  14. club — for dancing
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. face — to point toward
  17. wake — a trail
  18. bank — for money
  19. pass — a permit
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. stand — to bear
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. coach — a trainer

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