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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. staff — employees
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. staff — employees
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. band — a ring
  11. squash — to crush
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. band — a music group
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. stock — goods
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. stock — shares
  20. wake — a trail
  21. staff — a stick
  22. dip — to sink
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. squash — the sport

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