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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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. tube — a container
  4. race — humankind
  5. bass — low music
  6. cue — for pool
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lean — thin
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. lie — to recline
  14. tube — the underground
  15. band — a ring
  16. race — a contest
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. band — a music group
  19. bass — the fish
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. lean — to bend
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. race — the arms race
  24. cue — a hint

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