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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. firm — decided
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. spring — the season
  5. firm — a company
  6. row — to paddle
  7. fine — high quality
  8. row — a line
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. spring — a coil
  11. fine — all right
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. march — the month
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. march — the month
  19. march — music
  20. firm — steady
  21. spring — of water
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. nail — for a hammer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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