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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: patient · ruler · trunk · racket · saw · mug · staff · scale

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. mug — to rob
  3. staff — a stick
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. mug — a cup
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. staff — employees
  8. saw — the tool
  9. scale — size or range
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. scale — in music
  17. staff — employees
  18. mug — a face
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. saw — the tool
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. racket — a loud noise

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