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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: straw · mouse · tube · pop · key · pass · track · rest

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. key — for a lock
  3. tube — the underground
  4. pop — soda
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. rest — what's left
  7. key — the most important part
  8. track — a path
  9. rest — a break
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. pop — to visit
  12. pass — a permit
  13. rest — what's left
  14. tube — a container
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. track — to keep track
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. pop — music
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. track — a song
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. straw — a straw man

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