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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. rash — hasty
  3. rash — a series
  4. rule — a law
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. firm — decided
  7. rule — government
  8. firm — a company
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. vault — a safe
  12. bass — the fish
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. mark — a trace
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. firm — steady
  20. wax — to grow
  21. pass — a permit
  22. bass — low music
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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