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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. bat — the animal
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. can — a tin
  7. bass — the fish
  8. can — a tin
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. bass — low music
  18. stem — to come from
  19. toast — bread
  20. pass — a permit
  21. hand — help
  22. hand — in cards
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. can — to be able to

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