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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. band — a ring
  3. band — a music group
  4. mug — a cup
  5. bass — low music
  6. bass — the fish
  7. wax — to grow
  8. root — the cause
  9. firm — steady
  10. staff — employees
  11. mug — to rob
  12. firm — decided
  13. firm — a company
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. root — of a plant
  17. root — of a word
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — a stick
  20. mug — a face
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. band — a rubber band

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