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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. object — an aim
  6. object — to protest
  7. march — the month
  8. mate — to breed
  9. march — the month
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. squash — the sport
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. mate — a friend
  14. mate — a partner
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. object — a thing
  17. kid — child
  18. squash — to crush
  19. kid — to tease
  20. march — music
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. file — a tool
  23. file — a document
  24. file — a line of people

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