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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.

Make a worksheet

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: file · present · ruler · court · charge · pit

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. file — a line of people
  3. pit — a hole
  4. court — for sport
  5. charge — in control
  6. file — a document
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. court — of a king
  11. charge — electricity
  12. court — of law
  13. pit — in a race
  14. charge — a price
  15. present — the time now
  16. present — there
  17. file — a tool
  18. ruler — for measuring

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