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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.

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: march · file · chest · ruler · court · stand · bass · can

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bass — the fish
  4. chest — a box
  5. march — the month
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bass — low music
  9. stand — to bear
  10. court — for sport
  11. march — music
  12. can — to be able to
  13. can — a tin
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. chest — of your body
  17. march — the month
  18. court — of law
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. can — a tin
  21. file — a tool
  22. chest — of your body
  23. file — a document
  24. file — a line of people

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