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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. face — to point toward
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. rule — a law
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. present — the time now
  7. present — a gift
  8. bank — of a river
  9. face — to confront
  10. swing — in golf
  11. bank — for money
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. swing — music
  14. prune — to trim
  15. bank — for money
  16. present — there
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. face — part of the head
  20. bass — low music
  21. bass — the fish
  22. swing — to play on
  23. prune — to trim
  24. rule — government

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