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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: clip · foot · ruler · lean · pitcher · bear · rush · patient

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bear — the animal
  3. foot — a measure
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. lean — to bend
  6. lean — thin
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. clip — a video
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. clip — to cut
  19. clip — for paper
  20. rush — hurry
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. bear — the animal
  24. ruler — a monarch

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