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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 116 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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. land — a country
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. land — to come down
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. branch — a division
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. suit — to fit
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. court — of a king
  17. bass — low music
  18. pound — a weight
  19. court — of law
  20. suit — clothes
  21. bass — the fish
  22. land — ground
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. ruler — a monarch

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