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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  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. racket — for tennis
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. game — a match
  7. lie — to recline
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. mark — a grade
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bass — the fish
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. game — wild animals
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. mark — a trace
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. lie — an untruth
  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