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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. tube — a container
  4. spell — letters
  5. spell — a short time
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. tube — the underground
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. spell — magic
  13. capital — a city
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. capital — money
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. scale — in music
  19. scale — size or range
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. bowl — a dish

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