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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.

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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: wind · ruler · lean · patient · mouse · key · rush · craft

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. lean — to bend
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. craft — boats
  5. wind — moving air
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. key — the most important part
  10. key — for a lock
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. wind — moving air
  15. craft — a skill
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. key — in music
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rush — hurry
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. lean — thin

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