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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. rush — hurry
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. march — the month
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. cap — a lid
  7. cap — a hat
  8. pass — a permit
  9. vault — a safe
  10. snap — to click
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. cap — of ice
  16. bass — low music
  17. march — music
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. march — the month
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. pass — to succeed

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