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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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. object — an aim
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. bass — the fish
  6. spring — the season
  7. wind — moving air
  8. plane — a tool
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. object — a thing
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. spring — of water
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. bear — the animal
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. bear — the animal
  19. object — to protest
  20. bass — low music
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. spring — a coil
  24. plane — an aircraft

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