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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bass — the fish
  5. charge — a price
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. ball — a great time
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. ball — a dance
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. rash — hasty
  14. rash — a series
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. charge — in control
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. charge — electricity
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. lie — to recline
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. pass — a permit
  24. 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