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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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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: rash · bass · cap · game · toast · mark · fine · patient

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. game — wild animals
  3. bass — the fish
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. rash — hasty
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. mark — a grade
  9. cap — a lid
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. mark — a trace
  13. fine — high quality
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. fine — all right
  16. rash — a series
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. cap — of ice
  19. cap — a hat
  20. bass — low music
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. game — a match
  23. toast — bread
  24. mark — to pay attention

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