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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  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. ruler — for measuring
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. mug — to rob
  5. kid — to tease
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. mate — a friend
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. mate — to breed
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. kid — child
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. mug — a face
  18. mug — a cup
  19. plane — a tool
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. mate — a partner
  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