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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.

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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 · rush · fine · ruler · bass · trunk · patient · season

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. season — of the year
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. bass — low music
  11. rush — hurry
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. bass — the fish
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. season — in sport
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. pass — a permit
  24. fine — all right

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