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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. perch — the fish
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bass — the fish
  6. object — an aim
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. ball — a dance
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. ball — a great time
  15. object — a thing
  16. bass — low music
  17. object — to protest
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. wind — moving air
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. patient — a sick person

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