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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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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: ruler · degree · patient · foot · net · cap · safe · current

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. cap — a lid
  3. current — electric
  4. cap — of ice
  5. degree — temperature
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. current — happening now
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. current — of water
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. net — in sport
  15. cap — a hat
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. foot — a measure
  19. net — for catching
  20. net — after costs
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. degree — from a university
  23. degree — an amount
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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