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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. mark — a grade
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. ball — a great time
  5. pass — a permit
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. bass — low music
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. hand — help
  14. ball — a dance
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. hand — in cards
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. bass — the fish
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. stem — to come from
  24. mark — a trace

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