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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ruler · court · march · cell · firm · cabinet

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. firm — steady
  4. cell — a phone
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. court — of a king
  8. march — the month
  9. court — of law
  10. march — music
  11. march — the month
  12. cell — in biology
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. court — for sport
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. firm — decided
  18. firm — a company

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