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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: patient · lie · wind · rush · court · bass · root · rock

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bass — the fish
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. root — of a plant
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. wind — moving air
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. rock — a stone
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. root — the cause
  14. lie — to recline
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — hurry
  17. root — of a word
  18. wind — moving air
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. court — of a king
  21. court — for sport
  22. bass — low music
  23. rock — music
  24. court — of law

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