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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. rock — a stone
  3. lean — to bend
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. bass — low music
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. bass — the fish
  12. net — in sport
  13. suit — to fit
  14. net — after costs
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. suit — clothes
  18. rash — a series
  19. lean — thin
  20. suit — in cards
  21. net — for catching
  22. rash — hasty
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. rock — 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