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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. court — of a king
  4. court — of law
  5. court — for sport
  6. kick — in football
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. deal — to handle
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. rest — what's left
  12. branch — a division
  13. rule — government
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. rest — a break
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. rest — what's left
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. deal — a big deal

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