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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
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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: pass · content · patient · bat · race · rock · ground · scale

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. race — the arms race
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. scale — size or range
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. ground — a position
  8. race — a contest
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. rock — music
  13. content — the amount
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. bat — the animal
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. race — humankind
  18. ground — crushed
  19. pass — a permit
  20. content — happy
  21. scale — in music
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. ground — the earth
  24. patient — a sick person

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