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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
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: stick · pitcher · pass · wave · bass · snap · plane · game

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. game — a match
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. game — wild animals
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. snap — to click
  15. pass — a permit
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. bass — low music
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. plane — a tool
  22. bass — the fish
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. wave — with your hand

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