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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
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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: season · drill · mouse · ruler · court · perch · dip · suit

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. suit — in cards
  4. drill — a practice
  5. court — for sport
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. season — in sport
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. perch — the fish
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. drill — the tool
  17. court — of a king
  18. drill — army training
  19. dip — to sink
  20. suit — to fit
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. season — of the year
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. suit — clothes

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