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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: season · wax · pound · pass · lie · bore · bass · mine

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  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. bass — the instrument
  2. season — in sport
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. bore — to drill
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. pound — a weight
  12. bass — low music
  13. season — of the year
  14. bore — to tire
  15. mine — for digging
  16. lie — to recline
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. pass — a permit
  20. wax — to grow
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. bass — the fish
  23. lie — an untruth
  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