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

Word bank: pit · suit · arm · bass · snap · kid · club · pass

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. suit — to fit
  3. suit — clothes
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. suit — in cards
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. club — for golf
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bass — low music
  11. kid — to tease
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pit — a hole
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. bass — the fish
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. club — a group
  19. club — for dancing
  20. snap — to click
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. kid — child
  23. pit — in a race
  24. arm — part of the body

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