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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. bass — low music
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bass — the fish
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. pass — a permit
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. bark — to shout
  14. bear — the animal
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. bear — the animal
  17. plane — a tool
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. lie — to recline
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. plane — an aircraft

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