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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: patient · race · racket · stand · capital · ruler · straw · sharp

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. race — the arms race
  3. capital — money
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. race — humankind
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. race — a contest
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. sharp — clever
  16. stand — to bear
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. capital — a city
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. racket — for tennis

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