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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: patient · mouse · current · last · bass · firm · mark · season

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. last — finally
  3. last — to go on
  4. firm — decided
  5. current — of water
  6. mark — a grade
  7. bass — low music
  8. bass — the fish
  9. firm — steady
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. season — in sport
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. firm — a company
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. current — electric
  18. last — final
  19. season — of the year
  20. current — happening now
  21. mark — a trace
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — the animal

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