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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. cap — a lid
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. pit — a hole
  8. cap — of ice
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. pit — in a race
  15. cell — a phone
  16. root — the cause
  17. root — of a word
  18. vault — a safe
  19. cap — a hat
  20. root — of a plant
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. cell — in biology

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