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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: court · kick · pass · bass · current · wave · cap · bear

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. current — electric
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. cap — a lid
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. current — of water
  9. bass — the fish
  10. court — for sport
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. cap — a hat
  13. current — happening now
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. court — of law
  18. cap — of ice
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bass — low music
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. kick — in football
  23. pass — a permit
  24. bear — to put up with

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