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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rest · chip · track · wake · pass · march

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. march — the month
  4. rest — what's left
  5. pass — a permit
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. chip — to eat
  9. track — to keep track
  10. rest — what's left
  11. march — music
  12. rest — a break
  13. chip — for betting
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. march — the month
  16. wake — a trail
  17. track — a song
  18. wake — to stop sleeping

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