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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: fine · season · last · bore · bass · cap · cabinet · nail

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. last — final
  3. bore — to drill
  4. fine — high quality
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. cap — a hat
  8. season — of the year
  9. last — finally
  10. bass — the fish
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. cap — of ice
  13. bore — to tire
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. fine — all right
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bass — low music
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. season — in sport
  22. cap — a lid
  23. last — to go on
  24. bore — gave birth

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