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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.

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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: kid · row · lean · bass · mouse · pass · firm · ball

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. firm — decided
  4. row — to paddle
  5. row — a line
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. lean — thin
  10. bass — low music
  11. lean — to bend
  12. kid — child
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. ball — a dance
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. kid — to tease
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. firm — steady
  20. ball — a great time
  21. pass — a permit
  22. bass — the fish
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. bass — the instrument

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