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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. can — a tin
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. present — there
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. foot — a measure
  8. present — the time now
  9. can — to be able to
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. object — an aim
  12. object — a thing
  13. branch — a division
  14. object — to protest
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. bass — the fish
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. pass — a permit
  19. ball — a great time
  20. bass — low music
  21. ball — a dance
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. present — a gift
  24. can — a tin

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