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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.

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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. shower — to wash
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. club — for dancing
  8. club — a group
  9. deal — to handle
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. wound — an injury
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. club — for golf
  15. wound — an injury
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. shower — rain
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. cabinet — ministers

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