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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: patient · scale · wake · stand · temple · cabinet · capital · mouse

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. capital — money
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. scale — size or range
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. capital — a city
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. wake — a trail
  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