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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — to recline
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stand — to bear
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. key — the most important part
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pop — soda
  13. pop — music
  14. mark — a grade
  15. bass — low music
  16. key — in music
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. pop — to visit
  19. mark — a trace
  20. bass — the fish
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. snap — to click
  24. key — for a lock

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