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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. hand — help
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. march — the month
  6. mine — for digging
  7. craft — a skill
  8. march — the month
  9. land — a country
  10. suit — clothes
  11. march — music
  12. hand — in cards
  13. craft — boats
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. suit — to fit
  16. land — to come down
  17. suit — in cards
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. land — ground
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. mine — belonging to me

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