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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: bore · ruler · patient · game · kid · sharp · rest · plane

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. sharp — clever
  3. bore — to drill
  4. game — a match
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. plane — a tool
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. kid — to tease
  9. kid — child
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. game — wild animals
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. rest — what's left
  21. bore — to tire
  22. rest — a break
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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