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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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Word bank
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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: ruler · fork · kick · patient · court · vault

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. court — for sport
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. court — of law
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. fork — in a road
  14. vault — a safe
  15. court — of a king
  16. kick — in football
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. vault — in gymnastics

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