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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: capital · patient · fine · roll · ruler · club · spell · squash

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  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. fine — high quality
  2. club — a group
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. spell — a short time
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. spell — magic
  8. roll — a cake
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. fine — all right
  12. roll — a list
  13. spell — letters
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. club — for dancing
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. club — for golf
  19. squash — to crush
  20. capital — money
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. squash — the sport
  23. capital — a city
  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