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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: rush · ball · cap · trunk · board · pass · wave · bass

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. board — a committee
  4. bass — the fish
  5. cap — a lid
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. ball — a great time
  10. cap — of ice
  11. pass — a permit
  12. rush — hurry
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. cap — a hat
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. bass — low music
  22. ball — a dance
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. bass — the instrument

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