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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. swing — to play on
  3. clip — to cut
  4. swing — in golf
  5. fine — high quality
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. swing — music
  12. clip — for paper
  13. fine — all right
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. charge — a price
  16. charge — in control
  17. clip — a video
  18. charge — electricity
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. fan — a supporter

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