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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. present — a gift
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. pop — to visit
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. bass — low music
  12. mark — a grade
  13. present — there
  14. pop — music
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. rash — hasty
  18. present — the time now
  19. mark — a trace
  20. rash — a series
  21. pop — soda
  22. bass — the fish
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. ruler — for measuring

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