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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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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: ruler · fork · kick · patient · court · vault · branch · nail

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. vault — a safe
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. kick — in football
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. branch — a division
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. court — of law
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. fork — in a road
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. court — for sport
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. nail — on a finger

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