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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 120 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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. bore — to tire
  3. pass — a permit
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. dip — to sink
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. bass — the fish
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. can — to be able to
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — a tin
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. bore — to drill
  17. bass — low music
  18. bore — gave birth

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