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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: bass · fork · mine · pass · bank · pit · sharp · wave

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. bass — low music
  3. pass — a permit
  4. bank — for money
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bank — of a river
  7. mine — for digging
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. pit — a hole
  11. bass — the fish
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. fork — in a road
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. bank — for money
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. sharp — clever

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