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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. mate — a friend
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. mate — a partner
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. bear — the animal
  15. rash — hasty
  16. bound — obliged
  17. bear — the animal
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. mate — to breed
  21. rash — a series
  22. bound — certain
  23. bound — tied together
  24. mine — for digging

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