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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  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. pass — to spend time
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. lean — to bend
  4. band — a music group
  5. pass — a permit
  6. march — the month
  7. band — a ring
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. firm — a company
  10. object — an aim
  11. march — the month
  12. bass — the fish
  13. march — music
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. lean — thin
  16. firm — steady
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. object — to protest
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. bass — low music
  22. firm — decided
  23. object — a thing
  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