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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 116 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: scale · ground · cell · deal · patient · cap · mug · can

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. mug — a cup
  3. mug — a face
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. cell — in biology
  7. cap — a hat
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. cell — a phone
  11. scale — size or range
  12. ground — crushed
  13. deal — to handle
  14. can — a tin
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. ground — a position
  17. cap — a lid
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. scale — in music
  20. mug — to rob
  21. cap — of ice
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. ground — the earth
  24. can — to be able to

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