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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: tear · track · kick · mate · pass · season · board · bulb

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. mate — to breed
  3. tear — from crying
  4. track — a song
  5. mate — a friend
  6. tear — from crying
  7. bulb — for light
  8. track — to keep track
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. season — in sport
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bulb — for light
  14. kick — in football
  15. board — to get on
  16. season — of the year
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. tear — to rip
  19. pass — a permit
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. board — a committee
  22. mate — a partner
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. kick — a thrill

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