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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 120 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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rock — music
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. bass — low music
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. chip — to eat
  15. bass — the fish
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bat — the animal
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. chip — for betting
  21. mark — a trace
  22. mark — a grade
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. leaves — lets stay

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