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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. rock — music
  6. hand — in cards
  7. rock — a stone
  8. current — of water
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. kid — to tease
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. kid — child
  16. hand — help
  17. squash — the sport
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. current — happening now
  22. squash — to crush
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. current — electric

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