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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. ball — a great time
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. pitch — completely
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a dance
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. board — a committee
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. board — to get on
  16. fork — in a road
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. scale — in music
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. scale — size or range

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