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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. rock — a stone
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. bulb — for light
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. rock — music
  12. lean — to bend
  13. board — a committee
  14. bulb — for light
  15. board — to get on
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. lean — thin
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. band — a music group
  22. band — a ring
  23. scale — size or range
  24. patient — a sick person

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