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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 120 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: bowl · ruler · capital · wake · patient · pass

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. pass — a permit
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. capital — money
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. wake — a trail
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. capital — a city
  18. patient — calm and waiting

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