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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.

Make a worksheet

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: pitcher · mine · ruler · file · jam · patient · lash · kick

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. file — a line of people
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. file — a document
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. file — a tool
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. kick — in football
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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