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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.

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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: suit · bowl · game · branch · patient · calf · court · foot

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. branch — a division
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. court — of law
  7. foot — a measure
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. game — a match
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. court — for sport
  14. court — of a king
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. game — wild animals
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. suit — in cards
  24. bowl — a football final

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