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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. object — an aim
  3. tube — the underground
  4. ball — a dance
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. drill — army training
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. drill — the tool
  9. object — a thing
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. tube — a container
  13. spell — letters
  14. scale — in music
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. object — to protest
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. spell — magic
  20. ball — a great time
  21. drill — a practice
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. spell — a short time
  24. scale — size or range

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