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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: suit · court · fall · pass · plane · bear · ruler · jam

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. bear — the animal
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. bear — the animal
  6. court — for sport
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. court — of a king
  9. pass — a permit
  10. fall — to drop
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. fall — to drop
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. suit — in cards
  18. court — of law
  19. plane — a tool
  20. fall — the season
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. suit — clothes
  24. jam — a tight spot

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