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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. wound — an injury
  4. pass — a permit
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — in cards
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. wound — an injury
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. capital — money
  14. stock — shares
  15. suit — clothes
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. stock — goods
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. capital — a city
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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