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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. lie — to recline
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. firm — a company
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. ball — a great time
  8. march — music
  9. march — the month
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. board — to get on
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. scale — size or range
  16. board — a committee
  17. march — the month
  18. firm — steady
  19. ball — a dance
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. firm — decided
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. board — a flat piece

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