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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. cap — a lid
  3. face — to confront
  4. face — part of the head
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. face — to point toward
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. cap — a hat
  14. bass — the fish
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. pass — a permit
  17. plane — a tool
  18. bass — low music

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