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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: rule · leaves · court · mate · cabinet · kick · rock · ruler

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. mate — a friend
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. rock — music
  6. court — of a king
  7. rock — a stone
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. court — of law
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. kick — in football
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. mate — to breed
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. court — for sport
  19. rule — a law
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. rule — government

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