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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: wave · firm · pass · plane · field · roll · bass · pitcher

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. roll — a list
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. bass — the fish
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. field — a subject
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. firm — decided
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. field — for sport
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. pass — a permit
  16. bass — low music
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. firm — a company
  19. firm — steady
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. roll — a cake
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. plane — a tool

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