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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bark · pass · season · present · bass · can · staff · racket

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. can — a tin
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. bark — to shout
  5. staff — employees
  6. can — to be able to
  7. season — in sport
  8. staff — employees
  9. season — of the year
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. present — a gift
  13. bass — the fish
  14. bass — low music
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. can — a tin
  18. pass — a permit
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. present — there
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. staff — a stick

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