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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: object · patient · ruler · fall · ball · board · rule · wave

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. ball — a dance
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. board — to get on
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. fall — the season
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. rule — a law
  12. fall — to drop
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. board — a committee
  16. rule — government
  17. object — an aim
  18. object — a thing
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. ball — a great time
  22. fall — to drop
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. ruler — for measuring

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