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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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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: cell · ruler · track · clip · mate · pass · tear · bear

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. cell — in biology
  4. bear — the animal
  5. track — to keep track
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. bear — the animal
  8. track — a path
  9. tear — to rip
  10. mate — to breed
  11. track — a song
  12. mate — a partner
  13. tear — from crying
  14. mate — a friend
  15. pass — a permit
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. clip — a video
  19. cell — a phone
  20. tear — from crying
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. clip — to cut
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. clip — for paper

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