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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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — to be able to
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. object — an aim
  11. object — a thing
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. can — a tin
  15. object — to protest
  16. wind — moving air
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. wind — moving air
  21. rush — hurry
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. toast — bread
  24. toast — the most admired

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