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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bound — certain
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. bound — tied together
  9. fine — all right
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. pitch — completely
  14. bound — obliged
  15. fine — high quality
  16. scale — in music
  17. tear — from crying
  18. tear — from crying
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. capital — money
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. capital — a city
  23. tear — to rip
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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