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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. band — a music group
  4. toast — bread
  5. staff — a stick
  6. mark — a trace
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bass — the fish
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. staff — employees
  12. ground — a position
  13. staff — employees
  14. ground — the earth
  15. mark — a grade
  16. band — a ring
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. bass — low music
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. trunk — of a tree

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