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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  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. patient — a sick person
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. net — for catching
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. mate — to breed
  7. net — after costs
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. mate — a partner
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. scale — size or range
  15. net — in sport
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. mate — a friend
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. scale — in music
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. pitcher — a jug
  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