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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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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: face · wave · pass · fork · pound · swing · racket · bass

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. face — to point toward
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. swing — to play on
  7. swing — music
  8. bass — low music
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. face — to confront
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. pass — a permit
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. fork — in a road
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. swing — in golf
  23. face — part of the head
  24. pound — a weight

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