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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.

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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: ruler · ground · bore · dip · chair · bear · land · patient

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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. ruler — a monarch
  4. land — a country
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. dip — to sink
  7. land — to come down
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. land — ground
  12. bore — to tire
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. ground — a position
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bore — to drill
  19. ground — the earth
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. ground — crushed
  23. chair — a leader
  24. dip — to dunk

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