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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. lie — to recline
  4. chip — for betting
  5. bass — the fish
  6. tear — to rip
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. chip — to eat
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. pass — a permit
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. root — of a plant
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. charge — electricity
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. charge — a price
  19. tear — from crying
  20. charge — in control
  21. tear — from crying
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. root — of a word
  24. root — the cause

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