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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.

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: key · fork · saw · scale · can · patient · pit · cold

  1. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  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. cold — the Cold War
  2. pit — a hole
  3. can — to be able to
  4. scale — in music
  5. can — a tin
  6. fork — in a road
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. cold — not warm
  10. cold — an illness
  11. saw — the tool
  12. key — in music
  13. can — a tin
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. saw — the tool
  17. scale — size or range
  18. key — for a lock
  19. pit — in a race
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. key — the most important part
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. fork — to eat with
  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