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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: ruler · pound · ball · arm · patient · current · wound · mine

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. pound — a weight
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. mine — for digging
  8. current — electric
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. ball — a dance
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. wound — an injury
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. current — happening now
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. ball — a great time
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. wound — an injury
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. current — of water

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