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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. scale — size or range
  5. sharp — clever
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. present — the time now
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. stand — to bear
  11. court — of law
  12. scale — in music
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. court — for sport
  15. present — a gift
  16. court — of a king
  17. degree — an amount
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. present — there
  20. degree — from a university
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. degree — temperature
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. stand — on your feet

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