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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. object — an aim
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. cell — in biology
  7. bass — low music
  8. drill — a practice
  9. bass — the fish
  10. drill — the tool
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. object — to protest
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. drill — army training
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. object — a thing
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. mouse — for a computer

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