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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. pitch — completely
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. scale — in music
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. roll — a cake
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. scale — size or range
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. pass — a permit
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. ball — a great time
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. roll — a list
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. scale — for weighing

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