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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: patient · spell · mate · game · ruler · hide · saw · mug

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. 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. mug — a cup
  2. spell — a short time
  3. saw — the tool
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. game — a match
  6. spell — magic
  7. mate — a partner
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. mate — a friend
  10. game — wild animals
  11. mug — to rob
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. mate — to breed
  14. mug — a face
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. spell — letters
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. saw — the tool
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. 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