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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: ruler · chest · chip · perch · bay · patient

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. chip — to eat
  11. perch — the fish
  12. chest — of your body
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. chip — for betting
  18. chest — a box

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