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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. ball — a great time
  7. ball — a dance
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. root — of a plant
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. current — of water
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. scale — size or range
  16. root — of a word
  17. root — the cause
  18. current — happening now
  19. pop — soda
  20. pop — music
  21. pop — to visit
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. current — electric
  24. bark — to shout

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