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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.

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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: sharp · nail · patient · pitch · temple · bore · mark · bass

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. bass — low music
  3. sharp — clever
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. bass — the fish
  6. pitch — completely
  7. mark — a grade
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. bore — to drill
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mark — a trace
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bore — to tire
  24. temple — a place of worship

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