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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 116 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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. suit — in cards
  3. ground — the earth
  4. ground — crushed
  5. bound — certain
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. mug — to rob
  8. scale — size or range
  9. mug — a cup
  10. cap — of ice
  11. bound — obliged
  12. cap — a lid
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. scale — in music
  15. suit — clothes
  16. mug — a face
  17. suit — to fit
  18. wax — to grow
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. ground — a position
  22. cap — a hat
  23. bound — tied together
  24. scale — for weighing

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