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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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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: mouse · rock · pass · ball · bass · last · roll · race

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. pass — a permit
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. last — finally
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. race — the arms race
  8. race — humankind
  9. bass — low music
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. ball — a great time
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. rock — a stone
  14. last — final
  15. ball — a dance
  16. race — a contest
  17. roll — a list
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. bass — the fish
  22. rock — music
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. roll — a cake

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