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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 116 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
468
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: pass · spring · bank · mark · patient · bass · kick · wax

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  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. mark — a trace
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. bank — of a river
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. pass — a permit
  7. spring — the season
  8. bass — low music
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. spring — a coil
  11. spring — of water
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. wax — to grow
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. bank — for money
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. bass — the fish
  19. mark — a grade
  20. kick — in football
  21. bank — for money
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. patient — a sick person
  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