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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: mine · pass · straw · track · pop · kid · suit · object

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. object — a thing
  4. kid — to tease
  5. pass — a permit
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. track — a song
  8. object — to protest
  9. pop — soda
  10. object — an aim
  11. suit — in cards
  12. suit — clothes
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. track — a path
  15. kid — child
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. suit — to fit
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. pop — music
  22. mine — for digging
  23. track — to keep track
  24. pop — to visit

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