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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. can — to be able to
  5. rule — government
  6. lean — to bend
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. scale — in music
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. bear — the animal
  13. ball — a great time
  14. ball — a dance
  15. scale — size or range
  16. rule — a law
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. lean — thin
  19. can — a tin
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bear — the animal
  22. can — a tin
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. patient — a sick person

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