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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. pop — music
  3. track — a path
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. pop — soda
  7. pop — to visit
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. pit — in a race
  11. track — a song
  12. rush — hurry
  13. pass — a permit
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. bass — the fish
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. pit — a hole
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. track — to keep track
  24. rush — to 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