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

Word bank: kick · deal · rule · lean · patient · pop

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. deal — to handle
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. pop — soda
  8. lean — thin
  9. kick — in football
  10. rule — a law
  11. rule — government
  12. pop — to visit
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. lean — to bend
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. pop — music

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