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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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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: sharp · present · arm · pitch · shower · suit · scale · patient

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. suit — in cards
  3. scale — in music
  4. suit — clothes
  5. shower — to wash
  6. shower — rain
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. present — the time now
  9. present — there
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. suit — to fit
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. scale — size or range
  18. pitch — completely
  19. present — a gift
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. sharp — clever

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