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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. file — a tool
  4. court — of law
  5. suit — in cards
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. court — for sport
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. band — a music group
  10. band — a ring
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. fork — in a road
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. suit — to fit
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. suit — clothes
  20. file — a line of people
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. file — a document
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. court — of a king

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