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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.

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: kick · fine · object · hide · court · cabinet · game · rule

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. object — an aim
  3. game — a match
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. game — wild animals
  6. kick — in football
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. object — to protest
  9. rule — government
  10. court — of law
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. court — of a king
  13. fine — all right
  14. object — a thing
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. court — for sport
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. rule — a law
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. hide — to keep secret

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