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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bass — the fish
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. press — newspapers
  7. ball — a dance
  8. bass — low music
  9. land — ground
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. land — to come down
  12. rest — what's left
  13. press — to push
  14. face — part of the head
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. ball — a great time
  20. press — a publisher
  21. rest — a break
  22. face — to point toward
  23. face — to confront
  24. land — a country

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