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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
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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: patient · drill · ruler · stand · sharp · calf · last · mouse

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. last — final
  4. last — finally
  5. last — to go on
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. sharp — clever
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. stand — to bear
  17. drill — army training
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. drill — a practice
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. drill — the tool
  24. sharp — exactly

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