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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: pass · bass · deal · charge · wave · dip · cap · clip

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  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. dip — a sauce
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. bass — low music
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. clip — for paper
  6. cap — of ice
  7. bass — the fish
  8. cap — a lid
  9. dip — to sink
  10. cap — a hat
  11. clip — to cut
  12. clip — a video
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. charge — a price
  16. charge — in control
  17. deal — to handle
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. pass — a permit
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. charge — electricity
  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