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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: mouse · ruler · wax · wound · patient · pound · racket · lie

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. pound — a weight
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. wound — an injury
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. lie — to recline
  14. wax — to grow
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. wound — an injury
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — a loud noise

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