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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 120 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: patient · band · mark · bowl · pass · bulb · cabinet · pit

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. pit — in a race
  8. band — a ring
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. pass — a permit
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. bulb — for light
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. pit — a hole
  16. band — a music group
  17. mark — a grade
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. mark — a trace
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. bowl — a football final

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