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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.

Make a worksheet

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 get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. bass — the fish
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. rash — hasty
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. present — a gift
  10. rash — a series
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. kick — in football
  13. track — a song
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. track — to keep track
  16. track — a path
  17. bulb — for light
  18. present — the time now
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bark — to shout
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bass — low music
  23. present — there
  24. patient — a sick person

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