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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: cap · drill · present · object · wax · bass · patient · club

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. drill — the tool
  4. object — an aim
  5. wax — to grow
  6. cap — a lid
  7. bass — the fish
  8. present — there
  9. cap — a hat
  10. cap — of ice
  11. object — a thing
  12. present — a gift
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. drill — a practice
  16. club — for dancing
  17. drill — army training
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. object — to protest
  20. present — the time now
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. club — for golf
  23. bass — low music
  24. club — a group

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