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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.

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: object · wind · ground · scale · patient · can · drill · chip

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. object — to protest
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. chip — to eat
  6. object — an aim
  7. ground — crushed
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. ground — a position
  10. wind — moving air
  11. can — to be able to
  12. ground — the earth
  13. can — a tin
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. drill — a practice
  16. scale — size or range
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. drill — the tool
  19. can — a tin
  20. scale — in music
  21. wind — moving air
  22. object — a thing
  23. chip — for betting
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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