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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. mate — a partner
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. current — of water
  9. saw — the tool
  10. drill — a practice
  11. mate — a friend
  12. current — electric
  13. rush — hurry
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. mark — a grade
  16. mate — to breed
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. current — happening now
  19. drill — army training
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. saw — the tool
  23. mark — a trace
  24. mark — to pay attention

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