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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: saw · dip · rash · pitch · patient · lean · ruler · wax

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. dip — to sink
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. saw — the tool
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. lean — thin
  12. saw — the tool
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. wax — to grow
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. rash — a series
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. rash — hasty
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. patient — a sick person

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