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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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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: cabinet · mine · patient · race · board · ruler

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. mine — for digging
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. race — humankind
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. race — the arms race
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. race — a contest
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. board — to get on

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