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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. firm — a company
  3. firm — decided
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. bass — the fish
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. season — in sport
  8. firm — steady
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. bass — low music
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. pass — a permit
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. season — of the year
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. pitch — completely
  23. wake — a trail
  24. nail — for a hammer

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