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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: leaves · track · prune · snap · tube · chip · pass · wake

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. snap — to click
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. tube — a container
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. track — a song
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. wake — a trail
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. track — a path
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. tube — the underground
  16. track — to keep track
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. prune — to trim
  20. chip — to eat
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. prune — to trim
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. chip — for betting

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