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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: pass · firm · current · bore · wave · coach · bass · mine

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. bass — low music
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. bore — to tire
  6. firm — decided
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. mine — for digging
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. current — of water
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. current — electric
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. pass — a permit
  19. bass — the fish
  20. firm — steady
  21. firm — a company
  22. bore — to drill
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. bass — the instrument

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