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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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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: file · roll · toast · patient · ruler · tear · jam · stand

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. file — a document
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. file — a line of people
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. file — a tool
  11. tear — to rip
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. stand — to bear
  14. roll — a list
  15. tear — from crying
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. tear — from crying
  19. roll — a cake
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. toast — bread
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. jam — a tight spot

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