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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: lie · swing · cap · safe · root · pass · racket · track

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. track — a song
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. swing — to play on
  8. cap — a hat
  9. track — a path
  10. swing — music
  11. lie — to recline
  12. root — of a word
  13. cap — a lid
  14. root — the cause
  15. track — to keep track
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. pass — a permit
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. cap — of ice
  21. swing — in golf
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. root — of a plant

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