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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. lean — to bend
  7. chip — to eat
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. craft — boats
  10. spell — letters
  11. pass — a permit
  12. craft — a skill
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bass — low music
  15. spell — a short time
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. spell — magic
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. chip — for betting
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. lean — thin

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