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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.

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: ruler · pass · saw · track · court · tube · date · chip

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. track — a path
  3. saw — the tool
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. pass — a permit
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. court — of a king
  8. saw — the tool
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. tube — a container
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. chip — for betting
  14. track — to keep track
  15. date — the fruit
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. court — of law
  19. chip — to eat
  20. track — a song
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. court — for sport
  24. pass — to spend time

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