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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. last — to go on
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. chest — of your body
  6. last — finally
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bass — the fish
  9. fall — the season
  10. bass — low music
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. fall — to drop
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. pitch — completely
  17. last — final
  18. pass — a permit
  19. fall — to drop
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. chest — a box
  24. chest — of your body

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