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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. scale — in music
  12. land — to come down
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. land — ground
  16. land — a country
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. scale — size or range
  21. sharp — clever
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. mouse — the animal

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