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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.

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 · march · pass · wave · bass · rock · tube · ball

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. rock — music
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. tube — the underground
  6. fork — in a road
  7. ball — a great time
  8. pass — a permit
  9. ball — a dance
  10. bass — the fish
  11. march — music
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. march — the month
  15. rock — a stone
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. tube — a container
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. march — the month
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. bass — low music

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