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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.

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: wake · ruler · hand · safe · arm · degree · patient · stock

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. hand — in cards
  4. stock — goods
  5. degree — an amount
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. hand — help
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. degree — temperature
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. stock — shares
  14. degree — from a university
  15. wake — a trail
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. ruler — for measuring

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