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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 water is too ________________.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — not warm
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. cold — an illness
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. prune — to trim
  9. firm — decided
  10. suit — in cards
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. row — to paddle
  14. firm — steady
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. suit — to fit
  20. suit — clothes
  21. firm — a company
  22. sharp — clever
  23. prune — to trim
  24. row — a line

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