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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. mine — for digging
  4. mate — to breed
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. net — after costs
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. suit — to fit
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. suit — clothes
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. mate — a partner
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. bass — the fish
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. net — for catching
  22. mate — a friend
  23. bass — low music
  24. net — in sport

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