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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: tube · firm · fine · scale · season · present · roll · patient

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. firm — steady
  3. present — a gift
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. scale — in music
  6. firm — decided
  7. roll — a cake
  8. present — there
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. season — in sport
  11. roll — a list
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. firm — a company
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. tube — the underground
  20. season — of the year
  21. scale — size or range
  22. tube — a container
  23. fine — all right
  24. fine — high quality

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