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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: board · bass · fork · patient · drill · plane · pass · band

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. plane — a tool
  3. board — to get on
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. drill — army training
  7. band — a ring
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. drill — the tool
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. board — a committee
  14. bass — low music
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. fork — in a road
  18. bass — the fish
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. band — a music group
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. drill — a practice

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