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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: deal · content · patient · roll · lie · toast · lean · bass

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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 instrument
  3. roll — a list
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bass — the fish
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. content — happy
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. lean — thin
  13. content — the amount
  14. toast — bread
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. roll — a cake
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. lie — to recline
  19. deal — to handle
  20. lean — to bend
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. bass — low music
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. lean — to rest against

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