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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 116 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: fork · patient · bass · nail · cap · pound · tube · season

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. season — of the year
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bass — low music
  8. bass — the fish
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. pound — a weight
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. tube — a container
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. cap — of ice
  18. season — in sport
  19. tube — the underground
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. cap — a hat
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. cap — a lid

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