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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 · saw · current · bear · branch · fan · bass · cap

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. cap — a lid
  3. saw — the tool
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. current — happening now
  7. current — electric
  8. cap — a hat
  9. branch — a division
  10. bass — low music
  11. pass — a permit
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bear — the animal
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. cap — of ice
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bass — the fish
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. current — of water
  23. bear — the animal
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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