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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.

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: lean · bass · mouse · mug · racket · staff · hand · patient

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. hand — help
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. mug — a cup
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. staff — a stick
  7. hand — in cards
  8. lean — to bend
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. mug — a face
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. bass — low music
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. staff — employees
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. staff — employees
  21. lean — thin
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. mug — to rob

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