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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: ruler · cell · patient · tear · safe · arm

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. cell — a phone
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. tear — to rip
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. cell — in biology
  12. tear — from crying
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. safe — a strongbox

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