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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.

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

Word bank: stick · cell · court · ruler · pass · cap

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. court — of a king
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. court — for sport
  11. court — of law
  12. cap — a hat
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. cell — in biology
  16. pass — a permit
  17. cell — a phone
  18. cap — a lid

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