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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. rule — a law
  3. mug — to rob
  4. can — to be able to
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. rule — government
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. scale — in music
  9. scale — size or range
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. can — a tin
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. mug — a face
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. capital — money
  21. mug — a cup
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. capital — a city
  24. can — a tin

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