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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: rash · patient · plane · content · pit · scale · kid · ball

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. pit — in a race
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. content — happy
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. ball — a dance
  8. scale — size or range
  9. pit — a hole
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. kid — child
  12. kid — to tease
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. scale — in music
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. ball — a great time
  18. plane — a tool
  19. content — the amount
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. rash — hasty
  22. rash — a series
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  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