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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: hide · cabinet · march · hand · pass · foot · bass · pop

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. pop — to visit
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. pop — soda
  8. hand — help
  9. pass — a permit
  10. bass — low music
  11. march — the month
  12. march — the month
  13. hand — in cards
  14. march — music
  15. foot — a measure
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pop — music
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bass — the fish
  24. pass — to succeed

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