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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: lash · face · last · patient · scale · ball · deal · ruler

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ball — a great time
  4. face — to confront
  5. last — to go on
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. scale — size or range
  8. last — final
  9. scale — in music
  10. last — finally
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. face — part of the head
  17. deal — to handle
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. ball — a dance
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. face — to point toward

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