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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mark · court · kick · mouse · patient · squash · spell · board

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. spell — a short time
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. board — to get on
  5. court — for sport
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. squash — to crush
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. board — a committee
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. spell — letters
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. court — of a king
  17. spell — magic
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mark — a grade
  20. mark — a trace
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. court — of law
  23. kick — in football
  24. squash — the sport

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