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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 116 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: mouse · bass · can · clip · mark · deal · rash · pass

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. clip — to cut
  3. can — a tin
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. mark — a grade
  8. rash — a series
  9. bass — low music
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. deal — to handle
  14. clip — for paper
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bass — the fish
  18. pass — a permit
  19. clip — a video
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. can — a tin
  24. can — to be able to

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