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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. mark — a grade
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. squash — to crush
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. vault — a safe
  13. fall — to drop
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. fall — the season
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. fall — to drop
  24. squash — the sport

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