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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. club — for golf
  6. ball — a dance
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. rash — hasty
  9. bass — the fish
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. bass — low music
  13. band — a music group
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. fall — the season
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. band — a ring
  18. club — a group
  19. ball — a great time
  20. fall — to drop
  21. rash — a series
  22. fall — to drop
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. club — for dancing

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