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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 120 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: rest · bulb · patient · ruler · court · calf · mark · pitch

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. mark — a grade
  4. court — of law
  5. mark — a trace
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. pitch — completely
  10. rest — a break
  11. court — of a king
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. rest — what's left
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. rest — what's left
  20. bulb — for light
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. bulb — for light
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. court — for sport

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