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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: plane · bass · key · can · pass · leaves · chip · wound

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — to be able to
  4. bass — low music
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. wound — an injury
  7. plane — a tool
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. chip — for betting
  13. pass — a permit
  14. wound — an injury
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. bass — the fish
  17. key — for a lock
  18. key — in music
  19. chip — to eat
  20. key — the most important part
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. pass — to succeed

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