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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. race — the arms race
  3. mark — a trace
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. content — the amount
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. race — a contest
  8. pitch — completely
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. can — to be able to
  13. scale — size or range
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. scale — in music
  17. content — happy
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. mark — a grade
  21. can — a tin
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. can — a tin
  24. race — humankind

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