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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 116 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: lash · ball · spell · pound · cell · patient · fine · scale

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. spell — a short time
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. spell — letters
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. scale — in music
  8. ball — a great time
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. cell — in biology
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. pound — a weight
  14. spell — magic
  15. cell — a phone
  16. scale — size or range
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. fine — all right
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. ball — a dance
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. fine — high quality
  24. pound — to hit hard

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