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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: cold · current · bass · jam · branch · pass · stick · season

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. pass — a permit
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. current — happening now
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. branch — a division
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. season — of the year
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. current — electric
  12. cold — not warm
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. cold — an illness
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. current — of water
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. bass — the fish
  23. bass — low music
  24. season — in sport

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