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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. mate — to breed
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. swing — in golf
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. land — a country
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. cell — in biology
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bass — low music
  16. swing — to play on
  17. mate — a friend
  18. land — to come down
  19. cell — a phone
  20. toast — bread
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. land — ground
  23. mate — a partner
  24. swing — 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