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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: pound · row · track · pass · chair · rash · swing · jam

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. pound — a weight
  4. chair — a leader
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. row — to paddle
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. row — a line
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. pass — a permit
  12. track — to keep track
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. track — a path
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. swing — music
  19. swing — in golf
  20. track — a song
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. swing — to play on
  23. rash — hasty
  24. chair — a professorship

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