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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bass — the fish
  3. ground — a position
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. ground — crushed
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. ground — the earth
  9. last — finally
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. last — final
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. charge — a price
  15. charge — electricity
  16. saw — the tool
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. rash — hasty
  19. last — to go on
  20. bass — low music
  21. saw — the tool
  22. charge — in control
  23. rash — a series
  24. rash — on the skin

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