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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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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: present · land · suit · fork · ruler · patient · key · court

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. suit — to fit
  3. fork — in a road
  4. court — for sport
  5. suit — clothes
  6. land — a country
  7. key — in music
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. key — for a lock
  11. land — ground
  12. key — the most important part
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. land — to come down
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. suit — in cards
  18. court — of law
  19. present — a gift
  20. court — of a king
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. present — there
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. fork — a garden tool

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