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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 124 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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. bass — the fish
  12. stock — shares
  13. bass — low music
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. stock — goods
  16. suit — clothes
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. wound — an injury
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. suit — to fit
  22. suit — in cards
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. chair — a leader

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