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

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bass — the fish
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. spring — a coil
  5. can — to be able to
  6. bass — low music
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. ball — a dance
  11. present — there
  12. spring — of water
  13. present — the time now
  14. can — a tin
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. spring — the season
  17. ball — a great time
  18. present — a gift
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. pass — a permit
  24. patient — a sick person

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