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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. roll — a list
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. rock — music
  7. ball — a great time
  8. rock — a stone
  9. snap — to click
  10. bass — low music
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. branch — a division
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. row — to paddle
  16. roll — a cake
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. ball — a dance
  22. pass — a permit
  23. row — a line
  24. bass — the fish

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