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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. dip — to sink
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. land — a country
  5. bound — obliged
  6. capital — money
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. bound — tied together
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. plane — a tool
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. capital — a city
  16. land — ground
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. kick — in football
  21. bound — certain
  22. land — to come down
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. patient — a sick person

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