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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. pop — music
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. fine — all right
  7. present — the time now
  8. pop — to visit
  9. bass — the fish
  10. pop — soda
  11. plane — a tool
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bass — low music
  14. present — a gift
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. fine — high quality
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. present — there
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. mate — a partner
  24. mate — to breed

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