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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: court · fan · object · pitcher · ruler · squash

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. squash — to crush
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. squash — the sport
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. object — to protest
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. court — of a king
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. court — of law
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. object — an aim
  17. object — a thing
  18. court — for sport

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