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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bass — the fish
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. club — for dancing
  9. stock — shares
  10. bass — low music
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. club — a group
  16. club — for golf
  17. march — the month
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. march — music
  21. stock — goods
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. march — the month

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