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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. drill — army training
  3. chest — a box
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. drill — a practice
  8. pitch — completely
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. bass — the fish
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. drill — the tool
  17. chest — of your body
  18. dip — to sink
  19. chest — of your body
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. rock — a stone
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. rock — music

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