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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.

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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: object · cue · ruler · field · patient · bay · march · cabinet

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. object — to protest
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. march — music
  8. object — an aim
  9. march — the month
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. field — for sport
  12. cue — for pool
  13. cue — a signal
  14. march — the month
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. cue — a hint
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. object — a thing
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. field — a subject

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