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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.

Make a worksheet

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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bass — the fish
  5. bear — the animal
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. tube — the underground
  9. bear — the animal
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — a break
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bass — low music
  17. tube — a container
  18. bass — the instrument

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