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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. suit — clothes
  3. band — a music group
  4. suit — in cards
  5. ground — a position
  6. bass — low music
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. lean — thin
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. ground — crushed
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. suit — to fit
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. wound — an injury
  16. band — a ring
  17. wound — an injury
  18. can — to be able to
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. can — a tin
  21. ground — the earth
  22. bass — the fish
  23. lean — to bend
  24. pass — a permit

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