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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.

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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. ground — crushed
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. suit — in cards
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. staff — employees
  11. suit — to fit
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. suit — clothes
  17. ground — a position
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. staff — employees
  20. ground — the earth
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. stand — to bear

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