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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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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. scale — size or range
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. pound — a weight
  10. bass — the fish
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. band — a music group
  15. band — a ring
  16. scale — in music
  17. pass — a permit
  18. mouse — for a computer

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