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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: present · wind · bank · jam · bass · pass · fan · mouse

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. pass — a permit
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. bass — low music
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. wind — moving air
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. bank — of a river
  14. present — the time now
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. bass — the fish
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — for money
  22. wind — moving air
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. present — there

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