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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: bear · wax · drill · leaves · patient · game · ruler · pitch

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. drill — a practice
  3. drill — the tool
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. wax — to grow
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. bear — the animal
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. pitch — completely
  13. drill — army training
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. game — wild animals
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. game — a match
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. bear — the animal
  24. leaves — to go away

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