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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. bear — the animal
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bore — to drill
  10. season — in sport
  11. pop — to visit
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. bear — the animal
  14. pop — soda
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. scale — size or range
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. season — of the year
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. pop — music
  24. jam — a tight spot

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