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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 · mark · wave · rock · patient · race · can · firm

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. can — to be able to
  3. rock — a stone
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. mark — a trace
  7. bass — the fish
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. rock — music
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. race — a contest
  12. bass — low music
  13. race — humankind
  14. can — a tin
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. firm — decided
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. race — the arms race
  20. firm — a company
  21. firm — steady
  22. can — a tin
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. bass — the instrument

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