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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: suit · patient · racket · bore · cold · ruler

  1. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. suit — clothes
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. cold — an illness
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bore — to drill
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. bore — to tire
  10. cold — not warm
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. suit — to fit
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. suit — in cards
  18. bore — gave birth

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