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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 120 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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. court — of a king
  8. court — of law
  9. band — a ring
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. squash — to crush
  13. suit — in cards
  14. suit — to fit
  15. mark — a trace
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. court — for sport
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. mark — a grade
  20. band — a music group
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. suit — clothes
  24. ruler — a monarch

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