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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 120 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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. bass — the fish
  4. season — in sport
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. land — to come down
  7. field — a subject
  8. staff — a stick
  9. stand — to bear
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. land — ground
  12. field — farmland
  13. staff — employees
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. staff — employees
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. bass — low music
  19. land — a country
  20. game — wild animals
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. field — for sport
  23. season — of the year
  24. game — a match

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