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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 124 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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pop — music
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. net — for catching
  10. pop — soda
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. net — in sport
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. rule — government
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. net — after costs
  23. pop — to visit
  24. rule — a law

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