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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 116 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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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: row · last · racket · track · cabinet · patient · ruler · mate

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. mate — a friend
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. row — to paddle
  7. mate — to breed
  8. mate — a partner
  9. row — a line
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. last — finally
  16. last — final
  17. track — to keep track
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. track — a song
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. last — to go on

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