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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. mug — a face
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mug — to rob
  9. bear — the animal
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. saw — the tool
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. mug — a cup
  15. bass — the fish
  16. bass — low music
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ball — a great time
  20. bear — the animal
  21. mark — a grade
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. mark — a trace

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