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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 120 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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. pound — a weight
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. cap — a hat
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. rush — hurry
  9. fall — to drop
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. fall — the season
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. fall — to drop
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. cap — a lid
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bass — low music
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. cap — of ice

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