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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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. band — a music group
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. ball — a great time
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. ball — a dance
  11. band — a ring
  12. rock — music
  13. rock — a stone
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. chip — to eat
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. chip — for betting
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. scale — size or range
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. scale — in music

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