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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: rule · kick · ground · deal · fine · court · dip · mine

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. fine — high quality
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. dip — to sink
  5. rule — government
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. rule — a law
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. ground — the earth
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. fine — all right
  12. kick — in football
  13. ground — crushed
  14. deal — to handle
  15. ground — a position
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. court — of a king
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. court — for sport
  22. mine — for digging
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. court — of law

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