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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 116 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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. ball — a dance
  5. bass — the fish
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. bass — low music
  8. fork — in a road
  9. mug — a cup
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. mate — to breed
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. ball — a great time
  14. wax — to grow
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. shower — rain
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. mug — to rob
  19. mate — a partner
  20. shower — to wash
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. mug — a face
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. wax — for sculpting

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