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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. suit — clothes
  3. wake — a trail
  4. object — an aim
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. bass — low music
  7. suit — in cards
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. object — a thing
  12. suit — to fit
  13. bass — the fish
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. object — to protest
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. mark — a grade
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. mark — a trace

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