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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. pass — a permit
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. mine — for digging
  5. cue — a signal
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. rock — a stone
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. rock — music
  11. pit — in a race
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. cue — a hint
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. dip — to sink
  18. cue — for pool
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pit — a hole
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. bass — the fish
  23. rush — hurry
  24. bass — the instrument

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