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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 120 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: dip · rule · object · court · leaves · fall · patient · sharp

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. fall — to drop
  3. object — a thing
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. court — for sport
  7. fall — to drop
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. sharp — clever
  10. object — an aim
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. object — to protest
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. court — of a king
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. dip — to sink
  18. fall — the season
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. rule — government
  22. court — of law
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. dip — to dunk

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