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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: pitcher · bear · kick · ball · wound · patient · scale · chip

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. wound — an injury
  3. kick — in football
  4. ball — a dance
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. scale — size or range
  11. wound — an injury
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. scale — in music
  18. chip — to eat
  19. ball — a great time
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. chip — for betting
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. bear — to put up with

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