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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. bat — the animal
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bass — the fish
  8. bound — certain
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. bound — obliged
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bass — low music
  24. wave — of the sea

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