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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  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. lean — to rest against
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. lean — to bend
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. craft — a skill
  8. scale — in music
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. perch — the fish
  12. lean — thin
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. pitch — completely
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. craft — boats
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. deal — to handle
  21. scale — size or range
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. perch — for a bird
  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