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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 120 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
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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: tear · pit · mark · bound · bass · pop · bear · pass

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. tear — to rip
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. tear — from crying
  7. pit — in a race
  8. pop — soda
  9. bound — certain
  10. mark — a trace
  11. bound — tied together
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. bear — the animal
  15. mark — a grade
  16. pass — a permit
  17. bass — the fish
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. pop — music
  20. pit — a hole
  21. bound — obliged
  22. pop — to visit
  23. tear — from crying
  24. bass — low music

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