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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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: wind · ruler · squash · coach · patient · calf · stock · rush

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. squash — the sport
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. wind — moving air
  16. stock — goods
  17. stock — shares
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. rush — hurry
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. squash — to crush

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