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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: swing · bear · bass · leaves · pound · cap · nail · pass

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. bass — low music
  3. pass — a permit
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. pound — a weight
  6. swing — music
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. swing — to play on
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. cap — a hat
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bass — the fish
  17. cap — a lid
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. cap — of ice
  20. swing — in golf
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. leaves — of a tree

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