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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bass — the fish
  3. rush — hurry
  4. deal — to handle
  5. stock — shares
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. club — for dancing
  8. club — a group
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. stock — goods
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. plane — a tool
  15. craft — a skill
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. bass — low music
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. club — for golf
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. craft — boats
  24. plane — an aircraft

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