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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  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 — calm and waiting
  2. suit — in cards
  3. scale — size or range
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. mate — a partner
  6. suit — clothes
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. mate — a friend
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. scale — in music
  12. degree — an amount
  13. suit — to fit
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. mate — to breed
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. degree — temperature
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. degree — from a university
  22. perch — the fish
  23. perch — for a bird
  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