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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. fine — all right
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. mine — for digging
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. fine — high quality
  16. pop — music
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. object — to protest
  21. pop — to visit
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. object — a thing
  24. object — an aim

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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