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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: ruler · patient · capital · toast · mark · can · tube · mate

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. mate — a friend
  4. can — a tin
  5. mark — a grade
  6. tube — the underground
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. capital — money
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. mark — a trace
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. tube — a container
  15. mate — a partner
  16. mate — to breed
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. capital — a city
  20. can — a tin
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. can — to be able to

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