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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: bay · cap · rule · ball · bank · pass · ground · track

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. ground — the earth
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. cap — of ice
  5. ball — a great time
  6. rule — a law
  7. ball — a dance
  8. track — to keep track
  9. cap — a lid
  10. bank — of a river
  11. ground — a position
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. track — a path
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bank — for money
  17. ground — crushed
  18. rule — government
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. cap — a hat
  22. bank — for money
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. track — a song

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