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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. bass — the fish
  3. mark — a trace
  4. roll — a list
  5. chip — to eat
  6. pass — a permit
  7. march — the month
  8. band — a music group
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. band — a ring
  11. roll — a cake
  12. mark — a grade
  13. chip — for betting
  14. bass — low music
  15. object — an aim
  16. object — a thing
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. object — to protest
  21. march — the month
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. march — music
  24. band — a rubber band

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