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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
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: pass · racket · bass · nail · kid · game · saw · content

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bass — low music
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. kid — child
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. game — wild animals
  8. kid — to tease
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. game — a match
  11. pass — a permit
  12. content — the amount
  13. saw — the tool
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. content — happy
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. saw — the tool
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. game — a kind of play

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