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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
468
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 · game · rock · bulb · foot · kid · arm

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. bulb — for light
  3. pass — a permit
  4. bulb — for light
  5. game — wild animals
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. rock — a stone
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. rock — music
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. game — a match
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. kid — child
  15. track — a path
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. track — a song
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. kid — to tease
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. foot — a measure
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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