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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: track · bass · tear · bore · plane · bowl · patient · wax

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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. bass — low music
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. track — to keep track
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. bore — to drill
  9. track — a song
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. track — a path
  12. tear — to rip
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. tear — from crying
  16. plane — a tool
  17. bore — to tire
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. wax — to grow
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. tear — from crying

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