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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: bore · jam · mate · fan · mine · face · ruler · patient

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. face — to confront
  3. mine — for digging
  4. mate — a friend
  5. face — to point toward
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. mate — a partner
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bore — to tire
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. bore — to drill
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. mate — to breed
  24. face — part of the head

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