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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: mouse · degree · content · patient · ruler · fork

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. fork — in a road
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. content — happy
  6. degree — an amount
  7. degree — from a university
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. degree — temperature
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. content — the amount
  18. mouse — the animal

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