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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
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: bass · rush · scale · bark · stand · patient · mate · wave

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. bass — low music
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. bass — the fish
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. scale — in music
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. stand — to bear
  14. mate — a partner
  15. mate — to breed
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. rush — hurry
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. scale — size or range
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. mate — a friend
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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