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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.

Make a worksheet

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: board · pass · bass · file · track · mouse · lash · prune

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. board — to get on
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. bass — low music
  5. file — a line of people
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. pass — a permit
  10. board — a committee
  11. file — a document
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. track — a song
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. track — to keep track
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. bass — the fish
  23. prune — to trim
  24. file — a tool

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