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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 120 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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. can — to be able to
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. bound — obliged
  5. pass — a permit
  6. can — a tin
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. ball — a great time
  9. can — a tin
  10. lean — to bend
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. pop — soda
  13. bass — the fish
  14. lean — thin
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. ball — a dance
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. bound — certain
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pop — music
  21. bass — low music
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. mine — for digging
  24. pop — to visit

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