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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. bass — the fish
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. kick — in football
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bass — low music
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. bulb — for light
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. wake — a trail
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. pass — a permit
  24. pass — to spend time

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