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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: plane · cell · bore · perch · patient · degree · scale · mouse

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. scale — size or range
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. cell — a phone
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. scale — in music
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. bore — to tire
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. cell — in biology
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. degree — from a university
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. degree — an amount
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. plane — a tool
  23. perch — the fish
  24. degree — temperature

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