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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. deal — to handle
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. vault — a safe
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. ball — a great time
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. date — the fruit
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. ball — a dance
  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