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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. court — of a king
  5. fork — in a road
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. court — for sport
  13. scale — in music
  14. vault — a safe
  15. season — in sport
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. court — of law
  20. season — of the year
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. season — to add flavour

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