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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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. court — for sport
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bore — to tire
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. vault — a safe
  9. pit — a hole
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. staff — a stick
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. staff — employees
  17. pit — in a race
  18. staff — employees
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. court — of a king
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. plane — a tool

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