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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
468
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 · face · lie · racket · ruler · stock · patient · rule

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. sharp — clever
  4. lie — to recline
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. stock — goods
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. face — part of the head
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. rule — government
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. stock — shares
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. rule — a law
  22. face — to point toward
  23. face — to confront
  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