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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. file — a line of people
  4. wound — an injury
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. file — a tool
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. scale — size or range
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. wound — an injury
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. file — a document
  18. ball — a great time
  19. board — to get on
  20. board — a committee
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. ball — a dance

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