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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 120 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: wax · calf · file · patient · ruler · game · court · hide

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. court — for sport
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. file — a document
  8. court — of law
  9. wax — to grow
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. game — wild animals
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. game — a match
  14. court — of a king
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. file — a line of people
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. file — a tool
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. wax — in the ear

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