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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: chest · bass · cap · bowl · staff · fall · plane · pass

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. fall — to drop
  5. plane — a tool
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. cap — a lid
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. staff — a stick
  12. staff — employees
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. bass — the fish
  15. chest — a box
  16. staff — employees
  17. cap — of ice
  18. chest — of your body
  19. cap — a hat
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. chest — of your body
  22. bass — low music
  23. fall — the season
  24. fall — to drop

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