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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: rock · can · pop · track · pass · bass · nail · row

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. track — a song
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. track — to keep track
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. bass — the fish
  7. pop — soda
  8. rock — music
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. can — a tin
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pop — to visit
  14. row — a line
  15. bass — low music
  16. can — to be able to
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. rock — a stone
  19. pop — music
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. row — to paddle
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. track — a path
  24. can — a tin

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