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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: stick · bore · content · mug · bass · pass · rock · firm

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  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. firm — a company
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. mug — a face
  4. firm — decided
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bass — low music
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. bore — to drill
  9. content — the amount
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. mug — a cup
  13. pass — a permit
  14. firm — steady
  15. bore — to tire
  16. rock — music
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. content — happy
  21. mug — to rob
  22. rock — a stone
  23. bass — the fish
  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