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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: lean · jam · bass · hide · chip · patient · band · firm

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bass — low music
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. firm — a company
  7. band — a music group
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. chip — to eat
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. band — a ring
  13. lean — thin
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. lean — to bend
  16. firm — decided
  17. firm — steady
  18. chip — for betting
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. bass — the fish

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