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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 120 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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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: wind · leaves · pit · race · court · ruler · nail · coach

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. wind — moving air
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. court — of a king
  10. race — humankind
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. pit — in a race
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. race — the arms race
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. wind — moving air
  21. pit — a hole
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. race — a contest
  24. court — for sport

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