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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: mouse · bear · calf · fan · ground · patient · ruler · season

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. ground — the earth
  5. season — in sport
  6. season — of the year
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bear — the animal
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. ground — a position
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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