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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. snap — to click
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. suit — clothes
  6. track — a path
  7. wind — moving air
  8. track — a song
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. wind — moving air
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. track — to keep track
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. suit — to fit
  18. rush — hurry
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. suit — in cards
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. bass — low music
  23. bass — the fish
  24. bark — to shout

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