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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 120 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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. ground — the earth
  3. net — in sport
  4. net — for catching
  5. ground — a position
  6. scale — size or range
  7. mate — a partner
  8. suit — clothes
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. mate — a friend
  13. mate — to breed
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. scale — in music
  16. ground — crushed
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. suit — in cards
  19. bat — the animal
  20. suit — to fit
  21. net — after costs
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. rash — hasty

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