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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. bass — low music
  6. deal — to handle
  7. drill — a practice
  8. toast — bread
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. drill — the tool
  15. bass — the fish
  16. drill — army training
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. saw — the tool
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. saw — the tool
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. pitch — completely

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