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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · bat · patient · suit · court · pitch · arm · bark

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. pitch — completely
  5. court — of law
  6. suit — in cards
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. court — of a king
  9. bark — to shout
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. scale — size or range
  15. court — for sport
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. bat — the animal
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. suit — to fit
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. scale — in music
  24. bat — for baseball

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