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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.

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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: game · cue · drill · saw · net · can · bass · pass

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. cue — a hint
  3. bass — the fish
  4. can — to be able to
  5. drill — the tool
  6. game — wild animals
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. saw — the tool
  9. net — for catching
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. net — in sport
  12. can — a tin
  13. saw — the tool
  14. pass — a permit
  15. drill — a practice
  16. can — a tin
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. net — after costs
  20. cue — a signal
  21. drill — army training
  22. bass — low music
  23. cue — for pool
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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