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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: pass · track · rock · firm · snap · plane · pitch · march

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. snap — to click
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. firm — steady
  7. firm — a company
  8. march — music
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. track — a song
  12. pitch — completely
  13. march — the month
  14. plane — a tool
  15. rock — a stone
  16. firm — decided
  17. pass — a permit
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. march — the month
  22. track — to keep track
  23. track — a path
  24. rock — music

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