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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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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: rest · patient · lash · object · ruler · charge

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. object — to protest
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. rest — a break
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. charge — in control
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. charge — electricity
  10. charge — a price
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. rest — what's left
  13. object — a thing
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. rest — what's left
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. object — an aim

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