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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: lash · cabinet · mug · pop · ball · track · pass · perch

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. mug — a cup
  3. pop — to visit
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. track — to keep track
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. mug — to rob
  11. mug — a face
  12. pass — a permit
  13. perch — the fish
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. pop — soda
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. track — a song
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. ball — a dance
  21. ball — a great time
  22. pop — music
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. cabinet — ministers

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