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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: mouse · rash · pass · band · sharp · fine · current · track

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. rash — a series
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. rash — hasty
  5. current — electric
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. track — a song
  10. fine — all right
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. fine — high quality
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. sharp — clever
  16. current — happening now
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. pass — a permit
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. band — a ring
  22. current — of water
  23. band — a music group
  24. track — a path

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