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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: bound · suit · bass · bat · wax · pass · hand · current

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. suit — clothes
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. current — happening now
  5. wax — to grow
  6. bass — low music
  7. pass — a permit
  8. bass — the fish
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. current — electric
  11. current — of water
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. bound — tied together
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. hand — in cards
  16. suit — to fit
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bound — certain
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bat — the animal
  22. hand — help
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. suit — in cards

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