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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: dip · mouse · snap · bass · mine · stem · patient · pass

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. dip — to sink
  3. bass — the fish
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. stem — to come from
  18. bass — low music
  19. snap — to click
  20. pass — a permit
  21. mine — for digging
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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