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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. pass — a permit
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bass — the fish
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. lie — to recline
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. ball — a dance
  11. pitch — completely
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. ball — a great time
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. club — for dancing
  19. club — for golf
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. bear — the animal
  23. club — a group
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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