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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: ruler · land · patient · date · staff · kick · bulb · wax

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bulb — for light
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. land — to come down
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. wax — to grow
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. bulb — for light
  11. land — ground
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. land — a country
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. staff — employees
  17. kick — in football
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. staff — employees
  20. date — the fruit
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. staff — a stick
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. ruler — for measuring

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