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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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bass — low music
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. mate — to breed
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. mate — a friend
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. present — there
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. present — a gift
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. firm — steady
  15. mate — a partner
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. firm — a company
  18. present — the time now
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. firm — decided
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wound — an injury

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