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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 120 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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. fine — high quality
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. chair — a leader
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bass — low music
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. mine — for digging
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. rush — hurry
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. fine — all right
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. mine — an explosive

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