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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: ruler · plane · patient · suit · cell · present

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. cell — in biology
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. suit — to fit
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. present — there
  9. plane — a tool
  10. suit — clothes
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. suit — in cards
  14. cell — a phone
  15. present — a gift
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. present — the time now
  18. patient — a sick person

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