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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. row — to paddle
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. root — of a word
  9. scale — size or range
  10. root — the cause
  11. scale — in music
  12. root — of a plant
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. row — a line
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. season — of the year
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. bass — low music

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