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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 120 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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — to be able to
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. last — finally
  13. bass — low music
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. tube — the underground
  16. tube — a container
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. pass — a permit
  20. last — final
  21. last — to go on
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. can — a tin
  24. tube — in a tire

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