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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 116 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: ruler · pit · pop · mouse · mark · wax · court · branch

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. court — for sport
  6. mark — a grade
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. pop — music
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. wax — to grow
  15. court — of a king
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. pit — in a race
  18. pop — to visit
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. branch — a division
  22. pit — a hole
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. pop — soda

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