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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: ball · swing · jam · track · ruler · chip · sharp · pass

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. ball — a dance
  3. swing — music
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. chip — for betting
  9. track — a song
  10. pass — a permit
  11. swing — to play on
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. sharp — clever
  19. track — a path
  20. swing — in golf
  21. ball — a great time
  22. chip — to eat
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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