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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. shower — rain
  3. bass — low music
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. lean — thin
  7. key — in music
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. lean — to bend
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. bark — to shout
  13. ball — a great time
  14. ball — a dance
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. key — for a lock
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bass — the fish
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. shower — to wash
  24. key — the most important part

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