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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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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: rest · wave · arm · cabinet · stick · bass · craft · pass

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. bass — the fish
  4. pass — a permit
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. craft — boats
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. rest — what's left
  15. craft — a skill
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. rest — a break
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. rest — what's left
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bass — low music
  24. arm — part of the body

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