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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 120 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: current · pass · chest · pitcher · bass · land · craft · wave

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. current — of water
  4. current — electric
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. bass — the fish
  7. chest — a box
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. chest — of your body
  14. pass — a permit
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. craft — a skill
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. bass — low music
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. land — to come down
  21. current — happening now
  22. chest — of your body
  23. craft — boats
  24. land — ground

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