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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: ruler · degree · hand · mug · fine · patient · cabinet · fall

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. hand — in cards
  3. fall — the season
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. mug — a cup
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. degree — temperature
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. degree — from a university
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. fine — high quality
  17. degree — an amount
  18. fall — to drop
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. fine — all right
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. fall — to drop
  23. mug — to rob
  24. hand — help

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