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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. court — of law
  3. fork — in a road
  4. scale — size or range
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. pitch — completely
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. court — for sport
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. scale — in music
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. mate — a friend
  14. rule — a law
  15. mate — to breed
  16. rule — government
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. court — of a king
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. mate — a partner
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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