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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: mate · cabinet · march · pass · bass · deal · bulb · squash

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. march — music
  3. bulb — for light
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. bass — low music
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. bulb — for light
  11. deal — to handle
  12. squash — to crush
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. march — the month
  15. pass — a permit
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. mate — a friend
  19. march — the month
  20. mate — to breed
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. squash — the sport
  23. mate — a partner
  24. pass — to spend time

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