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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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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: content · ruler · patient · pass · roll · wind · mate · chip

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  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. roll — a list
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. wind — moving air
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. pass — a permit
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. chip — to eat
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. chip — for betting
  11. wind — moving air
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. content — the amount
  15. roll — a cake
  16. content — happy
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. mate — a partner
  19. mate — to breed
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. mate — a friend
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. chip — in a computer
  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