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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: suit · court · fork · pop · face · pass · bass · cap

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. face — part of the head
  3. cap — of ice
  4. bass — the fish
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. court — of law
  8. face — to point toward
  9. fork — in a road
  10. court — for sport
  11. pop — to visit
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. suit — in cards
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. cap — a lid
  16. bass — low music
  17. pass — a permit
  18. court — of a king
  19. suit — clothes
  20. face — to confront
  21. suit — to fit
  22. pop — music
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. cap — a hat

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