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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
468
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 · hide · bore · bulb · pitch · degree · patient · stock

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. degree — temperature
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. stock — shares
  8. stock — goods
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pitch — completely
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bore — to tire
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. degree — from a university
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. degree — an amount
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. bulb — for light
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. hide — to keep secret

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