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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. rock — a stone
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. pitch — completely
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. squash — the sport
  11. scale — size or range
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. squash — to crush
  15. stock — goods
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. mark — a grade
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. scale — in music
  22. mark — a trace
  23. stock — shares
  24. squash — the vegetable

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