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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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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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. season — of the year
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. current — of water
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. object — an aim
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. fall — to drop
  14. game — a match
  15. season — in sport
  16. fall — the season
  17. current — happening now
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. object — a thing
  20. current — electric
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. object — to protest
  24. fall — to drop

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