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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 120 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 · pass · object · bass · drill · board · track · season

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. drill — army training
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. track — a song
  5. object — an aim
  6. board — to get on
  7. pass — a permit
  8. bass — the fish
  9. drill — the tool
  10. drill — a practice
  11. track — a path
  12. object — to protest
  13. object — a thing
  14. tear — from crying
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. season — of the year
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. bass — low music
  21. tear — from crying
  22. season — in sport
  23. board — a committee
  24. tear — to rip

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