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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: mug · bass · key · track · pass · wound · clip · can

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. track — a path
  3. wound — an injury
  4. clip — a video
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. can — to be able to
  7. key — in music
  8. track — to keep track
  9. pass — a permit
  10. track — a song
  11. mug — to rob
  12. mug — a cup
  13. bass — the fish
  14. clip — to cut
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. wound — an injury
  17. bass — low music
  18. clip — for paper
  19. key — the most important part
  20. mug — a face
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. can — a tin
  24. key — for a lock

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