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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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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: mine · content · safe · bear · craft · patient · rest · ruler

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. rest — what's left
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. craft — boats
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. rest — a break
  10. content — happy
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bear — the animal
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. mine — for digging
  16. rest — what's left
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. craft — a skill
  21. content — the amount
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. bear — the animal

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