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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. can — to be able to
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. can — a tin
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. mate — a partner
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bass — low music
  11. mate — to breed
  12. track — a song
  13. can — a tin
  14. track — to keep track
  15. track — a path
  16. mate — a friend
  17. bass — the fish
  18. mine — for digging

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