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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: lean · firm · fork · pound · dip · patient · pit · ruler

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. firm — steady
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. firm — a company
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. lean — thin
  11. firm — decided
  12. dip — to sink
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. lean — to bend
  17. pound — a weight
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. fork — in a road
  20. pit — a hole
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. pit — in a race
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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