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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. rash — a series
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. lie — to recline
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bore — to drill
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. bore — to tire
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bass — the fish
  18. pitch — completely
  19. pass — a permit
  20. rash — hasty
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. foot — a measure
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. bass — low music

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