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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. scale — size or range
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. tube — the underground
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. fork — in a road
  8. root — of a plant
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. tube — a container
  12. root — of a word
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. root — the cause
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. scale — in music
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. pitch — completely
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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