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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 116 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: kick · can · chair · suit · rule · patient · bowl · rash

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. chair — a leader
  4. suit — in cards
  5. rash — hasty
  6. suit — clothes
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. rule — government
  9. rash — a series
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. rule — a law
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — to be able to
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. kick — in football
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. suit — to fit
  23. can — a tin
  24. bowl — to roll

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