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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: deal · court · pound · ruler · club · sharp

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. deal — to handle
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. sharp — clever
  7. court — of law
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. pound — a weight
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. court — of a king
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. court — for sport
  15. club — a group
  16. club — for dancing
  17. club — for golf
  18. pound — for dogs

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