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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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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: bark · ruler · patient · arm · bay · coach · row · bat

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bat — the animal
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. row — a line
  8. row — to paddle
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. bark — of a tree

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