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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 · safe · bulb · press · mark · nail · fall · patient

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bulb — for light
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. fall — the season
  5. fall — to drop
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. press — to push
  9. fall — to drop
  10. press — a publisher
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. mark — a grade
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. mark — a trace
  15. scale — size or range
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. press — newspapers
  23. bulb — for light
  24. scale — in music

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