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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. spring — of water
  3. track — a song
  4. bass — the fish
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. content — happy
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. track — a path
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. content — the amount
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. spring — a coil
  18. spring — the season
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bass — low music
  21. track — to keep track
  22. pass — a permit
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. safe — a strongbox

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