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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. scale — size or range
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. press — newspapers
  8. scale — in music
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pit — in a race
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. press — to push
  13. pit — a hole
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. track — a path
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. press — a publisher
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. track — to keep track
  24. leaves — to go away

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