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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. pass — a permit
  3. root — of a word
  4. root — of a plant
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. key — the most important part
  8. key — in music
  9. mark — a trace
  10. key — for a lock
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. charge — electricity
  13. charge — a price
  14. mine — for digging
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. bass — low music
  17. mark — a grade
  18. bass — the fish
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. charge — in control
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. root — the cause
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. mine — belonging to me

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