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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: firm · patient · ruler · game · bear · wind · pass · fan

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bear — the animal
  6. firm — a company
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. wind — moving air
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. firm — decided
  15. game — a match
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. firm — steady
  19. game — wild animals
  20. pass — a permit
  21. wind — moving air
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bear — the animal
  24. patient — a sick person

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