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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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468
Word bank
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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. bass — low music
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. kid — to tease
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. last — finally
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. track — a path
  13. track — a song
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. pass — a permit
  16. bass — the fish
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. track — to keep track
  20. fork — in a road
  21. last — final
  22. kid — child
  23. last — to go on
  24. hide — animal skin

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