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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. court — for sport
  7. can — to be able to
  8. mug — a face
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. can — a tin
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. court — of a king
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. can — a tin
  15. mug — to rob
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. mug — a cup
  18. race — humankind
  19. court — of law
  20. bass — the fish
  21. race — the arms race
  22. bass — low music
  23. pass — a permit
  24. race — a contest

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