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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. fine — high quality
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. fine — all right
  8. bass — low music
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. suit — clothes
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. suit — in cards
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. suit — to fit

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