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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.

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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. court — of a king
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. bore — to drill
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. content — happy
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. branch — a division
  11. kick — in football
  12. court — of law
  13. lean — thin
  14. content — the amount
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bore — to tire
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. lean — to bend
  24. court — for sport

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