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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: firm · bowl · ground · scale · fall · trunk · patient · bay

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. ground — the earth
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. ground — crushed
  13. fall — to drop
  14. scale — in music
  15. firm — decided
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. firm — steady
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. firm — a company
  20. ground — a position
  21. fall — to drop
  22. scale — size or range
  23. fall — the season
  24. bay — a horse colour

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