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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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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: craft · wave · kick · bass · stem · pit · pass · sharp

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. pit — in a race
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. craft — a skill
  6. bass — low music
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. pit — a hole
  11. pass — a permit
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. stem — to come from
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. kick — in football
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. craft — boats
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. sharp — clever
  24. stem — of a plant

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