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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. bass — the fish
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. bass — low music
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. stand — to bear
  7. dip — to sink
  8. key — in music
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. game — wild animals
  13. mate — a partner
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — a tin
  16. key — for a lock
  17. mate — to breed
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. key — the most important part
  20. mate — a friend
  21. pass — a permit
  22. can — to be able to
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. game — a match

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