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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. net — in sport
  7. net — for catching
  8. season — of the year
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. key — the most important part
  15. season — in sport
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. stand — to bear
  20. bass — low music
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. net — after costs
  23. key — for a lock
  24. bass — the fish

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