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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.

Make a worksheet

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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. scale — size or range
  3. staff — a stick
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. mark — a grade
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. mark — a trace
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. staff — employees
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. branch — a division
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. scale — in music
  21. plane — a tool
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. staff — employees
  24. plane — in geometry

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