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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
468
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: spell · bore · mark · safe · patient · rule · kick · game

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. bore — to tire
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. mark — a grade
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. spell — a short time
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. game — wild animals
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. spell — magic
  12. mark — a trace
  13. rule — a law
  14. game — a match
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. kick — in football
  17. rule — government
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. bore — to drill
  23. spell — letters
  24. kick — with a leg

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