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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: hide · season · patient · wake · bass · last · squash · racket

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bass — the fish
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. last — to go on
  5. bass — low music
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. season — of the year
  10. wake — a trail
  11. season — in sport
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. squash — to crush
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. squash — the sport
  17. last — finally
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. last — final

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