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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: ruler · court · scale · firm · roll · squash · bat · stand

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. scale — size or range
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. firm — steady
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. firm — decided
  8. scale — in music
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. squash — the sport
  12. firm — a company
  13. court — of law
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. roll — a cake
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. court — for sport
  18. court — of a king
  19. bat — the animal
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. squash — to crush
  22. stand — to bear
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. roll — on a roll

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