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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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. present — there
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. drill — a practice
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. present — a gift
  10. present — the time now
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. chip — to eat
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. chip — for betting
  22. drill — the tool
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. ruler — for measuring

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