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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 116 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: sharp · rule · rush · patient · bass · bay · net · track

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. sharp — clever
  7. bass — the fish
  8. net — after costs
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. track — to keep track
  11. bass — low music
  12. net — in sport
  13. net — for catching
  14. rush — hurry
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. track — a song
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. rule — government
  20. rule — a law
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. track — a path
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. rule — to rule out

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