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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: wave · spring · bass · hide · pass · season · lie · mark

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bass — the fish
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. bass — low music
  5. spring — of water
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. pass — a permit
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. spring — a coil
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. spring — the season
  19. lie — to recline
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. season — of the year
  22. season — in sport
  23. mark — a trace
  24. mark — a grade

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