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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: pass · fan · track · file · mug · dip · court · saw

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. track — a song
  4. pass — a permit
  5. court — of law
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. file — a tool
  8. track — a path
  9. dip — to sink
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. saw — the tool
  12. file — a document
  13. court — for sport
  14. saw — the tool
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. mug — a face
  18. file — a line of people
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. mug — a cup
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. court — of a king
  24. mug — to rob

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