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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: cue · ruler · ground · bear · patient · face · mine · game

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bear — the animal
  4. face — to point toward
  5. bear — the animal
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. face — part of the head
  8. cue — a hint
  9. mine — for digging
  10. face — to confront
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. cue — for pool
  13. game — a match
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. ground — a position
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. cue — a signal
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. ground — crushed
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. game — wild animals
  24. ground — the earth

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