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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. track — to keep track
  3. can — to be able to
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. pass — a permit
  6. wind — moving air
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. object — an aim
  10. track — a song
  11. wind — moving air
  12. track — a path
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. can — a tin
  15. snap — to click
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. can — a tin
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. wake — a trail
  20. object — to protest
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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