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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 120 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: foot · ground · pit · scale · mark · drill · stock · patient

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  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. mark — a grade
  2. scale — in music
  3. foot — a measure
  4. ground — a position
  5. drill — a practice
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. ground — crushed
  10. stock — shares
  11. drill — the tool
  12. scale — size or range
  13. drill — army training
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. mark — a trace
  16. pit — a hole
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. ground — the earth
  20. stock — goods
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. pit — in a race
  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