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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: stand · craft · pass · saw · bass · net · charge · race

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. net — in sport
  3. race — humankind
  4. pass — a permit
  5. net — for catching
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. bass — low music
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. charge — in control
  11. craft — a skill
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. craft — boats
  14. race — a contest
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. charge — a price
  17. charge — electricity
  18. stand — to bear
  19. bass — the fish
  20. saw — the tool
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. race — the arms race
  24. net — after costs

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