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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. suit — in cards
  6. suit — clothes
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. root — of a plant
  9. root — the cause
  10. file — a document
  11. bass — low music
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. file — a line of people
  14. charge — electricity
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bass — the fish
  17. charge — in control
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. file — a tool
  20. charge — a price
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. root — of a word
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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