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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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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: wave · court · rule · squash · pit · ruler

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. rule — government
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. pit — in a race
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. squash — the sport
  8. squash — to crush
  9. court — of a king
  10. rule — a law
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. court — for sport
  15. pit — a hole
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. court — of law
  18. 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