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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.

Make a worksheet

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: tube · scale · patient · toast · game · wave · craft · bass

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  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. game — wild animals
  2. tube — a container
  3. bass — the fish
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. scale — size or range
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. scale — in music
  10. craft — boats
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. tube — the underground
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. toast — bread
  18. bass — low music
  19. craft — a skill
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. game — a match
  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