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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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: rush · court · fan · lean · ruler · deal · wound · kick

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. kick — in football
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. court — of law
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. rush — hurry
  10. deal — to handle
  11. wound — an injury
  12. court — of a king
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. lean — thin
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. court — for sport
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. lean — to bend
  22. wound — an injury
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. ruler — a monarch

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