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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. bass — the fish
  3. drill — the tool
  4. rest — what's left
  5. pit — a hole
  6. rest — a break
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. drill — army training
  10. drill — a practice
  11. pass — a permit
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. pit — in a race
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. lie — to recline
  16. rest — what's left
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — an untruth

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