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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.

Make a worksheet

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: pop · stick · bass · mine · date · key · temple · pass

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. pass — a permit
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. pop — soda
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. key — the most important part
  10. mine — for digging
  11. bass — low music
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. key — for a lock
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. pop — to visit
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. bass — the fish
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. date — the fruit
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. key — in music
  24. pass — to spend time

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