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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. spell — letters
  3. net — in sport
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. net — after costs
  6. date — the fruit
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. spell — magic
  12. spell — a short time
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. net — for catching
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. leaves — to go away

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