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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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. prune — to trim
  6. ball — a dance
  7. dip — to sink
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. current — electric
  12. current — happening now
  13. plane — a tool
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. scale — size or range
  16. bore — to drill
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. prune — to trim
  19. ball — a great time
  20. current — of water
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. bore — to tire
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. dip — to dunk

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