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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 120 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: cap · scale · snap · mark · patient · charge · ruler · fan

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. cap — of ice
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. cap — a lid
  8. mark — a trace
  9. snap — to click
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. mark — a grade
  16. charge — electricity
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. scale — in music
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. charge — a price
  22. charge — in control
  23. cap — a hat
  24. ruler — for measuring

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