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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: rush · ground · bay · club · present · patient · bore · ruler

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. present — a gift
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. club — a group
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. ground — the earth
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. bore — to tire
  13. ground — a position
  14. club — for golf
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. present — there
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. ground — crushed
  21. club — for dancing
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. present — the time now

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