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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 116 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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. bass — the fish
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. plane — a tool
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. can — a tin
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. wound — an injury
  14. can — a tin
  15. wound — an injury
  16. can — to be able to
  17. pitch — completely
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. bass — low music
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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