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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: cabinet · suit · patient · mark · safe · board · court · scale

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. suit — to fit
  3. board — a committee
  4. scale — in music
  5. court — of a king
  6. mark — a trace
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. suit — clothes
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. court — of law
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. board — to get on
  20. mark — a grade
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. scale — size or range
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. suit — in cards

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