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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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468
Word bank
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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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. pit — a hole
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. fork — in a road
  12. suit — in cards
  13. rest — what's left
  14. suit — to fit
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. rest — a break
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. tube — the underground
  19. suit — clothes
  20. pit — in a race
  21. rest — what's left
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. tube — a container

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