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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: fine · patient · bore · ruler · mug · perch · capital · race

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. capital — a city
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. fine — high quality
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. race — humankind
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. race — a contest
  11. perch — the fish
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. bore — to tire
  14. fine — all right
  15. race — the arms race
  16. mug — a cup
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. mug — to rob
  22. bore — to drill
  23. mug — a face
  24. capital — money

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