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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
468
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: kick · club · file · chest · plane · bulb · bass · patient

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. file — a line of people
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. plane — a tool
  5. bass — the fish
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. file — a tool
  9. club — a group
  10. bulb — for light
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. chest — of your body
  13. chest — a box
  14. kick — in football
  15. club — for dancing
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. club — for golf
  19. file — a document
  20. bass — low music
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bass — the instrument

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