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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: ball · can · rule · patient · fine · stick · lean · tear

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. tear — from crying
  6. lean — to bend
  7. lean — thin
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. tear — to rip
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. fine — all right
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. fine — high quality
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. tear — from crying
  16. can — a tin
  17. ball — a great time
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. rule — a law
  20. ball — a dance
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — to be able to
  24. patient — a sick person

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