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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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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: rash · mug · mark · rock · pass · lean · bay · game

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. mug — a face
  5. rash — hasty
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. lean — thin
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. mug — to rob
  10. rash — a series
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. lean — to bend
  13. pass — a permit
  14. game — wild animals
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. game — a match
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. mark — a grade
  20. rock — a stone
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. mark — a trace
  24. rock — 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