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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: march · plane · suit · bore · pass · track · pit · firm

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. firm — a company
  3. track — a song
  4. firm — steady
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. firm — decided
  7. pit — a hole
  8. march — music
  9. march — the month
  10. track — a path
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. suit — in cards
  14. track — to keep track
  15. march — the month
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. pit — in a race
  18. plane — a tool
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. bore — to drill
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. suit — clothes
  24. bore — to tire

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