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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. firm — steady
  5. suit — in cards
  6. rash — hasty
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. branch — a division
  9. rash — a series
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. suit — clothes
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. firm — decided
  14. firm — a company
  15. cold — an illness
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. cold — not warm
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. suit — to fit
  23. cold — the Cold War
  24. nail — for a hammer

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