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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: patient · pitch · plane · march · scale · ruler

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. pitch — completely
  5. scale — size or range
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. march — music
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. march — the month
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. march — the month
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. scale — in music
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. plane — a tool

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