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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. present — the time now
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. land — ground
  5. court — of a king
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. court — for sport
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. rash — hasty
  10. bank — for money
  11. rash — a series
  12. land — a country
  13. bank — for money
  14. present — a gift
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. bank — of a river
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. land — to come down
  20. plane — a tool
  21. present — there
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. court — of law
  24. plane — in geometry

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