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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: arm · pass · hand · dip · kick · scale · patient · present

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. present — there
  3. present — the time now
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. hand — help
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. present — a gift
  11. dip — to sink
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. kick — in football
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. hand — in cards
  16. pass — a permit
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. scale — size or range
  23. dip — to dunk
  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