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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. can — a tin
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. rule — government
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. sharp — clever
  13. can — a tin
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. bass — the fish
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. rule — a law
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. bass — low music
  24. can — to be able to

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