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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. shower — rain
  3. ball — a great time
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. ball — a dance
  8. board — a committee
  9. scale — in music
  10. scale — size or range
  11. object — a thing
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. shower — to wash
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. object — to protest
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. object — an aim
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. board — to get on
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. snap — to click

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