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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
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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: chair · cell · pass · scale · pit · mug · foot · track

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. track — to keep track
  5. track — a path
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pit — a hole
  10. mug — a face
  11. track — a song
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. pit — in a race
  15. cell — in biology
  16. foot — a measure
  17. scale — in music
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. cell — a phone
  20. chair — a leader
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. mug — a cup
  23. scale — size or range
  24. chair — to sit on

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