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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. saw — the tool
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. bass — the fish
  7. track — a song
  8. degree — temperature
  9. saw — the tool
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. rock — a stone
  12. bass — low music
  13. track — to keep track
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. degree — an amount
  16. track — a path
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. date — the fruit
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. degree — from a university
  23. rock — music
  24. date — on the calendar

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