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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. staff — employees
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. bass — the fish
  8. march — music
  9. march — the month
  10. fine — all right
  11. bass — low music
  12. dip — to sink
  13. fine — high quality
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. bound — obliged
  17. staff — a stick
  18. march — the month
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. bound — tied together
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. bound — certain
  24. leaves — of a tree

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