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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. wind — moving air
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. pass — a permit
  5. spring — a coil
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. perch — the fish
  9. spring — the season
  10. shower — rain
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. march — the month
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. spring — of water
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. shower — to wash
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. march — music
  22. wind — moving air
  23. march — the month
  24. pass — to spend time

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