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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 · patient · ruler · deal · bowl · pit

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  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. pit — a hole
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. deal — to handle
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. pit — in a race
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. bowl — a dish
  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