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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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. current — electric
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. cue — a hint
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bass — low music
  14. lie — to recline
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. date — the fruit
  18. cue — a signal
  19. current — happening now
  20. current — of water
  21. cue — for pool
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. racket — for tennis

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