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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. pit — a hole
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. fork — in a road
  8. cue — for pool
  9. object — to protest
  10. object — an aim
  11. cue — a signal
  12. land — ground
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. land — to come down
  15. land — a country
  16. pit — in a race
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. craft — a skill
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. craft — boats
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. object — a thing
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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