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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 116 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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  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 — the fish
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. rest — what's left
  5. current — happening now
  6. pit — a hole
  7. rest — a break
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. drill — the tool
  10. bass — low music
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. pass — a permit
  13. drill — army training
  14. lie — to recline
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. drill — a practice
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. bat — the animal
  19. rest — what's left
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. current — electric
  22. current — of water
  23. pit — in a race
  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