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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. lean — thin
  4. last — finally
  5. scale — in music
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. hand — help
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. last — to go on
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. fork — in a road
  16. lean — to bend
  17. hand — in cards
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. scale — size or range
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. last — final
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. ruler — a monarch

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