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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: racket · fork · ruler · saw · roll · patient

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. roll — a cake
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. saw — the tool
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. roll — a list
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. saw — the tool
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. racket — for tennis

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