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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 124 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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. stand — to bear
  6. face — to confront
  7. vault — a safe
  8. object — a thing
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. wound — an injury
  12. object — to protest
  13. fine — all right
  14. scale — size or range
  15. face — to point toward
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. object — an aim
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. wound — an injury
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. fine — high quality
  23. face — part of the head
  24. stand — for spectators

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