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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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. rest — what's left
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. bass — the fish
  8. rest — a break
  9. present — the time now
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. present — a gift
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. present — there
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. wake — a trail
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bass — low music
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. wake — before a funeral

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