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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. mate — a friend
  5. stock — shares
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. club — a group
  9. club — for golf
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. club — for dancing
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. mate — a partner
  15. bass — low music
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. lie — to recline
  18. pass — a permit
  19. bass — the fish
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. stock — goods
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. stock — a soup base

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