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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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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: suit · wake · track · chest · tear · pass · content · club

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. chest — a box
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. club — for dancing
  6. chest — of your body
  7. pass — a permit
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. suit — to fit
  10. suit — in cards
  11. club — for golf
  12. track — a song
  13. content — the amount
  14. tear — from crying
  15. track — a path
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. chest — of your body
  19. track — to keep track
  20. tear — to rip
  21. wake — a trail
  22. suit — clothes
  23. content — happy
  24. tear — from crying

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