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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.

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: patient · bass · calf · pit · drill · face · pass · current

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  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. drill — a practice
  2. pit — in a race
  3. face — part of the head
  4. bass — the fish
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. pass — a permit
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. drill — the tool
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. face — to confront
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. face — to point toward
  13. pit — a hole
  14. current — of water
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bass — low music
  19. current — happening now
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. drill — army training
  23. current — electric
  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