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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · kick · court · patient · scale · rule

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. court — of a king
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. rule — a law
  5. kick — in football
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. court — of law
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. scale — in music
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. scale — size or range
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. rule — government
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. court — for sport

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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