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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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. pass — to succeed
  4. ground — the earth
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. rule — government
  7. rule — a law
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. bass — low music
  11. firm — a company
  12. ball — a dance
  13. firm — decided
  14. key — in music
  15. ball — a great time
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. sharp — clever
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. bass — the fish
  21. ground — a position
  22. key — the most important part
  23. ground — crushed
  24. firm — steady

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