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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: key · wind · hide · patient · rush · perch · bass · rash

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. wind — moving air
  7. key — the most important part
  8. key — in music
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. bass — the fish
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. perch — the fish
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. wind — moving air
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. rash — hasty
  18. key — for a lock
  19. rush — hurry
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. bass — low music

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