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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 · dip · perch · patient · court · ruler · roll · key

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. key — for a lock
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. roll — a cake
  6. dip — to sink
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. deal — to handle
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. court — of law
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. key — in music
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. perch — the fish
  20. court — of a king
  21. key — the most important part
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. roll — a list
  24. court — for sport

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