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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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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: bass · ruler · content · patient · cue · chair · root · drill

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. root — of a word
  4. drill — army training
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. root — the cause
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. drill — the tool
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. bass — low music
  12. root — of a plant
  13. content — happy
  14. cue — a hint
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. drill — a practice
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. bass — the fish
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. cue — for pool
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. cue — a signal
  24. chair — a leader

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