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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. drill — army training
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. pound — a weight
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. cap — a hat
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. cap — a lid
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — the tool
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. drill — a practice
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. drill — the tool
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. rush — hurry
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. cap — of ice

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