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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. rule — a law
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. season — in sport
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. season — of the year
  17. rash — a series
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. vault — a safe
  20. rash — hasty
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. rule — government
  24. stand — for spectators

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