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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 124 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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. game — a match
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. craft — boats
  10. craft — a skill
  11. charge — a price
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. charge — in control
  17. game — wild animals
  18. fork — in a road
  19. charge — electricity
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. bass — the fish

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