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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: bank · track · bass · pass · ball · ruler · last · fan

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. pass — a permit
  4. bank — of a river
  5. track — a song
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. bass — the fish
  9. ball — a dance
  10. track — to keep track
  11. bass — low music
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bank — for money
  14. track — a path
  15. last — finally
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. last — to go on
  21. bank — for money
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. last — final
  24. ball — a great 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