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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: patient · tube · coach · cabinet · bass · mate · ball · fork

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. mate — to breed
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. mate — a friend
  9. ball — a dance
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. mate — a partner
  14. tube — the underground
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. bass — low music
  17. ball — a great time
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. tube — a container
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. fork — in a road
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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