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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. ball — a dance
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. mark — a grade
  8. suit — clothes
  9. mark — a trace
  10. perch — the fish
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. suit — to fit
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. suit — in cards
  15. scale — in music
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. fine — high quality
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. ball — a great time
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. fine — all right
  22. scale — size or range
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. perch — for a bird

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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