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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. bass — the fish
  3. chip — to eat
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. rock — a stone
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. mate — to breed
  13. chip — for betting
  14. fine — high quality
  15. fine — all right
  16. plane — a tool
  17. rock — music
  18. bore — to drill
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. bass — low music
  22. mate — a friend
  23. mate — a partner
  24. plane — in geometry

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