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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
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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: pass · fan · bass · cabinet · fine · staff · file · patient

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. file — a line of people
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. file — a document
  7. fine — all right
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. staff — a stick
  10. pass — a permit
  11. file — a tool
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. staff — employees
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. fine — high quality
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. staff — employees
  22. bass — low music
  23. bass — the fish
  24. patient — a sick person

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