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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bass — the fish
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. rash — hasty
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. rash — a series
  23. bass — low music
  24. pitch — completely

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