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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: bat · track · toast · spell · pass · jam · board · rush

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. board — to get on
  4. track — a song
  5. board — a committee
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. track — to keep track
  9. spell — letters
  10. rush — hurry
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. bat — the animal
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. toast — bread
  21. spell — magic
  22. track — a path
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. pass — a permit

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