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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 116 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.

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: fan · ruler · spell · calf · fall · degree · court · patient

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. degree — temperature
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. court — for sport
  10. court — of law
  11. degree — an amount
  12. court — of a king
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. spell — a short time
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. spell — letters
  18. degree — from a university
  19. fall — the season
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. fall — to drop
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. spell — magic

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