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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: ball · bulb · scale · bank · drill · wave · patient · fan

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. scale — in music
  3. drill — army training
  4. bank — for money
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. scale — size or range
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. ball — a dance
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. bank — for money
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bulb — for light
  18. drill — the tool
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. drill — a practice
  24. ball — a great time

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