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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: chair · calf · cabinet · patient · wave · ruler · drill · saw

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. drill — a practice
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. chair — a leader
  17. drill — army training
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. drill — the tool
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. saw — the tool
  24. calf — a young animal

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