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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 · rash · game · deal · ground · scale · rush · patient

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. game — a match
  5. deal — to handle
  6. ground — a position
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. rash — hasty
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. rash — a series
  11. ground — crushed
  12. scale — size or range
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. scale — in music
  17. ground — the earth
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. rush — hurry
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. game — wild animals
  24. rash — on the skin

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