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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
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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: hide · straw · patient · date · drill · toast · can · ruler

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. can — a tin
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. can — to be able to
  8. toast — bread
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. drill — army training
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. drill — the tool
  16. date — the fruit
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. drill — a practice
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. can — a tin

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