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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: trunk · wave · mug · can · patient · ball · bass · season

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. can — to be able to
  3. can — a tin
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. can — a tin
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. bass — low music
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. mug — a face
  11. ball — a great time
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. season — of the year
  17. bass — the fish
  18. season — in sport
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. ball — a dance
  23. mug — a cup
  24. mug — to rob

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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