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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. bass — the fish
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. pass — a permit
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. bass — low music
  11. board — to get on
  12. ball — a great time
  13. board — a committee
  14. sharp — clever
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. scale — in music
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. ball — a dance
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. scale — size or range
  24. dip — to sink

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