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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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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: date · pass · rock · ruler · patient · track · ground · spell

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  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. pass — a permit
  2. ground — a position
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. track — a song
  5. spell — a short time
  6. spell — letters
  7. track — to keep track
  8. rock — a stone
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. date — the fruit
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. track — a path
  19. ground — the earth
  20. ground — crushed
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. spell — magic
  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