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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: ruler · game · track · bound · present · mark · pass · rock

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  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 — to succeed
  2. track — to keep track
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. bound — certain
  5. rock — a stone
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. present — a gift
  8. mark — a grade
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. mark — a trace
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. present — the time now
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. game — wild animals
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. present — there
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bound — tied together
  19. game — a match
  20. pass — a permit
  21. track — a song
  22. bound — obliged
  23. track — a path
  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