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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: wake · wind · bass · pass · saw · bulb · chair · track

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. wind — moving air
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — the tool
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. track — a song
  9. bass — the fish
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. bass — low music
  12. track — to keep track
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. chair — a leader
  17. wind — moving air
  18. bulb — for light
  19. pass — a permit
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. bulb — for light
  23. wake — a trail
  24. pass — to spend time

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