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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. chair — a leader
  6. swing — music
  7. bear — the animal
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. swing — to play on
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. swing — in golf
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. date — the fruit
  15. bear — the animal
  16. season — in sport
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. deal — to handle
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. season — of the year

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