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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: rule · rock · chair · deal · patient · bowl

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. deal — to handle
  3. rock — a stone
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. chair — a leader
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. rule — a law
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. rule — government
  13. rock — music
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. patient — a sick person

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