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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · fork · board · degree · pitcher · wave · patient · mark

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. scale — size or range
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. fork — in a road
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. degree — temperature
  7. degree — an amount
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. board — a committee
  10. scale — in music
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. mark — a grade
  14. mark — a trace
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. degree — from a university
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. board — to get on

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