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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: chest · can · fork · fine · sharp · patient · ruler · lean

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. lean — thin
  3. can — to be able to
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. lean — to bend
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. chest — of your body
  10. can — a tin
  11. chest — a box
  12. sharp — clever
  13. can — a tin
  14. fine — all right
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. fine — high quality
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. fork — in a road
  24. chest — of your body

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