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

Word bank: mouse · patient · bass · stick · kid · pass

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. kid — child
  5. kid — to tease
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bass — low music
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. bass — the fish
  17. pass — a permit
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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