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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: stick · lie · rash · bass · mark · fan · pass · file

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. lie — to recline
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. file — a tool
  12. bass — low music
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. file — a document
  16. rash — a series
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. pass — a permit
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. file — a line of people
  22. bass — the fish
  23. rash — hasty
  24. mark — a grade

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