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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. cap — of ice
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. cap — a hat
  8. court — of a king
  9. club — for dancing
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. club — for golf
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. date — the fruit
  16. court — for sport
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. cap — a lid
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. court — of law
  21. club — a group
  22. scale — in music
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. scale — size or range

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