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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 116 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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bear — the animal
  3. file — a document
  4. bear — the animal
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. cue — a hint
  7. file — a tool
  8. court — for sport
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. scale — size or range
  11. court — of law
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. scale — in music
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. cue — for pool
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. rash — hasty
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. cue — a signal
  20. file — a line of people
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. rash — a series
  24. court — of a king

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