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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. clip — to cut
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. clip — for paper
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. spring — the season
  7. spring — a coil
  8. clip — a video
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. mark — a trace
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. mark — a grade
  16. stand — to bear
  17. spring — of water
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. scale — size or range
  20. vault — a safe
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. scale — in music
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. stand — for spectators

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