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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. rule — a law
  3. bore — to drill
  4. branch — a division
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. mug — a cup
  8. mug — to rob
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. court — for sport
  11. spell — a short time
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. spell — letters
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. bore — to tire
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. plane — a tool
  19. rule — government
  20. court — of a king
  21. spell — magic
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. mug — a face
  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