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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: scale · tube · row · ball · coach · cap · spell · patient

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. spell — magic
  6. scale — in music
  7. tube — the underground
  8. spell — a short time
  9. cap — a lid
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. tube — a container
  13. cap — of ice
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. cap — a hat
  18. row — a line
  19. row — to paddle
  20. ball — a dance
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. scale — size or range
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. spell — letters

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