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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: bulb · track · band · key · pass · board · pop · plane

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. plane — a tool
  3. pass — a permit
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. band — a ring
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. board — a committee
  10. pop — soda
  11. key — the most important part
  12. board — to get on
  13. track — a path
  14. key — for a lock
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. pop — music
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. track — to keep track
  19. pop — to visit
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — for light
  23. track — a song
  24. key — in 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