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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 120 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bear · pass · rush · mark · bass · safe

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. rush — hurry
  4. bass — the fish
  5. bear — the animal
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. mark — a grade
  8. bear — the animal
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. mark — a trace
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. bass — low music

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