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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. craft — a skill
  3. band — a music group
  4. present — a gift
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. craft — boats
  7. pitch — completely
  8. present — there
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. band — a ring
  13. bass — low music
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. mug — a face
  16. mug — a cup
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. bass — the fish
  21. rule — government
  22. rule — a law
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. mug — to rob

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