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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 120 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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. scale — in music
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. scale — size or range
  7. bulb — for light
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. track — a path
  12. track — a song
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. wax — to grow
  16. mark — a grade
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. track — to keep track
  22. bulb — for light
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. mark — a trace

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