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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.

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: ball · ruler · bound · pitch · chip · patient · date · root

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. date — the fruit
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. root — of a word
  8. chip — for betting
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. pitch — completely
  11. ball — a dance
  12. root — the cause
  13. ball — a great time
  14. chip — to eat
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. bound — obliged
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. bound — tied together
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. root — of a plant
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. bound — certain
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. date — on the calendar

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