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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. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. court — of a king
  3. suit — in cards
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. squash — the sport
  9. clip — for paper
  10. key — in music
  11. squash — to crush
  12. wax — to grow
  13. clip — to cut
  14. key — the most important part
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. suit — to fit
  18. clip — a video
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. court — of law
  23. suit — clothes
  24. key — for a lock

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