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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: court · pitcher · roll · pop · fine · pitch · ruler · squash

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. court — for sport
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. pop — soda
  6. pop — to visit
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. fine — all right
  9. pop — music
  10. fine — high quality
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. squash — to crush
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. court — of law
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. roll — a list
  18. roll — a cake
  19. pitch — completely
  20. court — of a king
  21. squash — the sport
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. pitcher — a jug
  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