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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. pop — music
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. pop — soda
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. chip — to eat
  9. row — a line
  10. pop — to visit
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. row — to paddle
  14. bass — low music
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. lie — to recline
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pit — in a race
  19. chip — for betting
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. pass — a permit
  23. bass — the fish
  24. pit — a hole

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