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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  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. bass — the instrument
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. tube — the underground
  5. bass — low music
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. stock — goods
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. snap — to click
  12. bass — the fish
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. stock — shares
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. tube — a container
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. prune — to trim
  23. prune — to trim
  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