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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. bass — low music
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. rest — what's left
  5. firm — steady
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bass — the fish
  9. cap — a lid
  10. squash — the sport
  11. cap — of ice
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. squash — to crush
  15. firm — decided
  16. mark — a trace
  17. pass — a permit
  18. cap — a hat
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. rest — a break
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. firm — a company
  23. mark — a grade
  24. pass — to spend time

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