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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 116 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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. net — in sport
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. cap — a hat
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. cap — of ice
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. net — after costs
  10. degree — temperature
  11. mate — a friend
  12. board — a committee
  13. bore — to tire
  14. mate — a partner
  15. board — to get on
  16. mate — to breed
  17. bore — to drill
  18. net — for catching
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. scale — size or range
  22. degree — from a university
  23. degree — an amount
  24. cap — a lid

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