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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.

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: fan · pit · stick · bulb · mug · pass · hide · track

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — for light
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. mug — a cup
  7. track — a song
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. pit — in a race
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. mug — a face
  17. track — to keep track
  18. pass — a permit
  19. mug — to rob
  20. track — a path
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. pit — a hole
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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