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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: bass · stick · clip · degree · pass · key · capital · rock

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. pass — a permit
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. bass — the fish
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. key — for a lock
  8. key — the most important part
  9. rock — a stone
  10. bass — low music
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. rock — music
  13. clip — for paper
  14. degree — from a university
  15. degree — an amount
  16. key — in music
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. capital — a city
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. degree — temperature
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. capital — money
  24. clip — to cut

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