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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bass — low music
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. suit — clothes
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. mate — a friend
  9. march — the month
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. suit — in cards
  12. chip — to eat
  13. mate — a partner
  14. march — music
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. chip — for betting
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. march — the month
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. mate — to breed
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. bowl — a football final

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