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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 120 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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. court — of a king
  4. kick — in football
  5. court — for sport
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. bark — to shout
  8. bound — obliged
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. track — a song
  11. suit — clothes
  12. bound — certain
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. suit — to fit
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. plane — a tool
  18. track — to keep track
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. track — a path
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. court — of law
  24. suit — in cards

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