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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 116 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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  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. pass — a permit
  2. key — for a lock
  3. face — to point toward
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. bass — the fish
  6. bass — low music
  7. key — the most important part
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. face — to confront
  11. staff — employees
  12. stand — to bear
  13. face — part of the head
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. craft — a skill
  17. staff — a stick
  18. key — in music
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. craft — boats
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. staff — employees
  23. bass — the instrument
  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