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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: deal · hand · court · bass · mark · patient · rush · cabinet

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. hand — in cards
  3. court — of law
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bass — the fish
  6. mark — a grade
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. mark — a trace
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. rush — hurry
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. deal — to handle
  16. bass — low music
  17. hand — help
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. court — for sport
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. court — of a king

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