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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: rush · roll · pit · pass · clip · lie · bass · nail

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. clip — a video
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bass — the fish
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. roll — a list
  8. clip — for paper
  9. pit — in a race
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. roll — a cake
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. rush — hurry
  14. pass — a permit
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. lie — to recline
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. bass — low music
  22. clip — to cut
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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