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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: pass · content · spell · calf · lie · rock · bass · pop

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. content — the amount
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. rock — music
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. content — happy
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. rock — a stone
  14. lie — to recline
  15. spell — a short time
  16. spell — letters
  17. spell — magic
  18. bass — the fish
  19. pop — soda
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. pop — to visit
  22. bass — low music
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. pass — a permit

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