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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 ball is in your ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. cue — a hint
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. cue — for pool
  6. court — of law
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. pitch — completely
  9. court — of a king
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. field — farmland
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. bank — for money
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. field — a subject
  20. field — for sport
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — of a river
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. cue — a signal

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