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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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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: march · kid · pass · bass · plane · safe · wind · bank

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. kid — to tease
  4. bass — the fish
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. wind — moving air
  7. bass — low music
  8. march — music
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. bank — of a river
  11. kid — child
  12. bank — for money
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. bank — for money
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. wind — moving air
  18. march — the month
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. plane — a tool
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. pass — a permit
  24. march — the month

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