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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.

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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: scale · patient · cap · bay · hand · stand · chair · ruler

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. cap — a lid
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. hand — in cards
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. scale — size or range
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. chair — a leader
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. cap — of ice
  16. stand — to bear
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. cap — a hat
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. hand — help

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