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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. cue — a signal
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. cue — for pool
  5. pop — to visit
  6. net — after costs
  7. bass — the fish
  8. object — an aim
  9. net — for catching
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. pop — music
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. cue — a hint
  15. net — in sport
  16. bass — low music
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. object — a thing
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. pop — soda
  21. rule — a law
  22. rule — government
  23. object — to protest
  24. bass — the instrument

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