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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 116 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: trunk · deal · race · bass · rock · clip · craft · pass

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. race — the arms race
  6. clip — to cut
  7. rock — music
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. race — a contest
  11. bass — low music
  12. race — humankind
  13. deal — to handle
  14. pass — a permit
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. rock — a stone
  17. bass — the fish
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. clip — for paper
  21. craft — boats
  22. clip — a video
  23. craft — a skill
  24. pass — to succeed

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