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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
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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 · patient · hand · content · coach · bass · hide · fine

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. content — the amount
  3. bass — low music
  4. pass — a permit
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. hand — help
  7. content — happy
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. bass — the fish
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. fine — high quality
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. hand — in cards
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. fine — all right
  24. hide — to keep secret

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