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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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. tube — a container
  3. ball — a dance
  4. scale — size or range
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. race — the arms race
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. scale — in music
  10. race — humankind
  11. suit — to fit
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. tube — the underground
  16. suit — clothes
  17. suit — in cards
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — to trim
  22. race — a contest
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. ball — a great time

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