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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 116 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: drill · tear · season · mug · staff · fan · wave · bass

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. bass — the fish
  3. mug — a face
  4. drill — a practice
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. mug — to rob
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. tear — to rip
  10. staff — employees
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. tear — from crying
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. bass — low music
  15. drill — the tool
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. season — in sport
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. staff — a stick
  20. tear — from crying
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. staff — employees
  23. drill — army training
  24. season — of the year

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