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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. field — for sport
  9. pound — a weight
  10. fork — in a road
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. current — electric
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. current — of water
  18. field — farmland
  19. deal — to handle
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. field — a subject
  22. current — happening now
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. coach — a trainer

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