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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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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 · last · arm · mate · safe · straw · pass · kid

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. pass — a permit
  5. bass — low music
  6. last — final
  7. kid — child
  8. bass — the fish
  9. last — finally
  10. mate — a friend
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. last — to go on
  17. mate — to breed
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. kid — to tease
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. mate — a partner
  24. arm — part of the body

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