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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. fine — all right
  4. stand — to bear
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bass — the fish
  8. row — a line
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. swing — music
  11. bass — low music
  12. row — to paddle
  13. pass — a permit
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. swing — in golf
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. dip — to sink
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. fine — high quality
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. swing — to play on

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