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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.

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: lean · fork · tube · rock · racket · patient · fan · ruler

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. tube — a container
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. tube — the underground
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. lean — thin
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rock — music
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. fork — in a road
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. lean — to bend
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. fan — a supporter

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