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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. bound — certain
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. key — in music
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. row — a line
  11. key — for a lock
  12. bound — obliged
  13. bass — the fish
  14. bass — low music
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. row — to paddle
  17. bound — tied together
  18. stand — to bear
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. pass — a permit
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. key — the most important part
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. rush — hurry

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