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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. scale — size or range
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. court — of a king
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. court — of law
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. rule — government
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. kick — in football
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. court — for sport
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. scale — in music
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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