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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: present · leaves · squash · wave · cap · bowl · ruler · patient

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. squash — the sport
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. present — a gift
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. cap — a hat
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. present — there
  16. present — the time now
  17. squash — to crush
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. cap — of ice
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. bowl — a football final

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