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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. tear — from crying
  4. club — for dancing
  5. bass — low music
  6. club — a group
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. swing — music
  9. board — to get on
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. bank — for money
  12. tear — to rip
  13. deal — to handle
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. swing — to play on
  18. bank — for money
  19. club — for golf
  20. tear — from crying
  21. swing — in golf
  22. bass — the fish
  23. board — a committee
  24. bank — of a river

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