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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.

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: bass · swing · season · hide · chair · patient · drill · content

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. swing — in golf
  3. swing — music
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. season — in sport
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. drill — the tool
  8. content — the amount
  9. bass — low music
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. swing — to play on
  12. drill — army training
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. bass — the fish
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. season — of the year
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. chair — a leader
  24. content — happy

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