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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. pass — a permit
  3. cap — a lid
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. pit — a hole
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. pit — in a race
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. track — a path
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. mine — for digging
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. stand — to bear
  18. cap — a hat
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. cap — of ice
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. track — to keep track
  24. temple — a place of worship

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