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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. roll — a list
  4. pass — a permit
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. mate — to breed
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bass — the fish
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. object — an aim
  14. bass — low music
  15. roll — a cake
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. object — to protest
  18. mate — a friend
  19. object — a thing
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. mate — a partner
  23. pound — a weight
  24. dip — a sauce

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