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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: calf · roll · pit · court · bank · stick · patient · rule

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bank — for money
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. roll — a list
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bank — of a river
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. roll — a cake
  12. rule — government
  13. rule — a law
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. court — of law
  18. court — of a king
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. pit — a hole
  21. pit — in a race
  22. court — for sport
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bank — for money

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