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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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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: court · bound · deal · rule · stand · wave · suit · key

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. court — for sport
  4. bound — obliged
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. key — the most important part
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. bound — certain
  9. bound — tied together
  10. deal — to handle
  11. suit — in cards
  12. suit — to fit
  13. rule — government
  14. key — in music
  15. suit — clothes
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. court — of a king
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. key — for a lock
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. rule — a law
  24. stand — to bear

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