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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: pit · nail · ruler · bound · patient · stick · branch · game

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. bound — certain
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. pit — in a race
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. game — wild animals
  9. bound — tied together
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. bound — obliged
  16. branch — a division
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. pit — a hole
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. nail — for a hammer

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