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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: mouse · spell · patient · march · foot · ball · scale · sharp

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. march — the month
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. sharp — clever
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. march — music
  8. scale — in music
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. spell — magic
  13. march — the month
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. spell — letters
  19. ball — a great time
  20. foot — a measure
  21. scale — size or range
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. ball — a dance
  24. mouse — the animal

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