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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. object — to protest
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. pop — to visit
  5. present — a gift
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. pass — a permit
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. land — to come down
  10. land — a country
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. bass — low music
  13. present — the time now
  14. pop — soda
  15. land — ground
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. mark — a grade
  18. pop — music
  19. bass — the fish
  20. object — an aim
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. pound — a weight
  23. present — there
  24. mark — a trace

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