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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 116 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: sharp · pass · ruler · mine · bulb · plane · band · patient

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  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. pass — to spend time
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. bulb — for light
  4. band — a ring
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. plane — a tool
  10. mine — for digging
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. pass — a permit
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. bulb — for light
  18. sharp — clever
  19. band — a music group
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. plane — in geometry
  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