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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. rush — hurry
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hand — help
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. hand — in cards
  11. bass — the fish
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bass — low music

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