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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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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: pass · fall · bowl · bass · pit · object · stick · fine

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. fall — to drop
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. fine — high quality
  7. bass — low music
  8. object — to protest
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. fall — the season
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. pit — in a race
  14. fall — to drop
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. pass — a permit
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. fine — all right
  19. object — an aim
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. bass — the fish
  23. pit — a hole
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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