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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 120 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 · firm · bound · ruler · clip · pitcher · leaves · stock

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. firm — a company
  7. stock — goods
  8. clip — a video
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. firm — steady
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. bound — tied together
  14. clip — for paper
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bound — certain
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. firm — decided
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. bound — obliged
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. clip — to cut
  24. stock — shares

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