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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: dip · patient · wave · can · bass · plane · kick · pound

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bass — the fish
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. kick — in football
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. plane — a tool
  11. can — a tin
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. dip — to sink
  14. bass — low music
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — to be able to
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. pound — a weight
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. kick — with a leg

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