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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: band · bass · lash · mark · saw · patient · jam · tube

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. mark — a grade
  3. saw — the tool
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. bass — the fish
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. bass — low music
  8. band — a ring
  9. tube — a container
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. tube — the underground
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. mark — a trace
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. band — a music group

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