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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 120 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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  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. net — for catching
  2. scale — in music
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. season — in sport
  5. net — in sport
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. scale — size or range
  10. rash — a series
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. season — of the year
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. dip — to sink
  15. rash — hasty
  16. net — after costs
  17. bear — the animal
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. bear — the animal
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. patient — a sick person
  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