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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: dip · object · fork · mark · shower · patient · kick · court

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. kick — in football
  3. dip — to sink
  4. object — a thing
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. shower — to wash
  7. court — of a king
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. object — an aim
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. court — for sport
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. mark — a grade
  18. court — of law
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. object — to protest
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. fork — in a road
  24. kick — with a leg

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