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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: arm · ruler · scale · pass · rock · pit · cue · court

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. cue — a hint
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. court — of a king
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. cue — a signal
  9. scale — in music
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. cue — for pool
  12. pit — a hole
  13. pit — in a race
  14. rock — a stone
  15. court — for sport
  16. scale — size or range
  17. court — of law
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. rock — music
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. pass — a permit
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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