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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.

Make a worksheet

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: court · mug · game · foot · march · suit · temple · ruler

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. court — of a king
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. suit — to fit
  7. march — music
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. mug — to rob
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. mug — a cup
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — clothes
  14. foot — a measure
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. march — the month
  18. court — of law
  19. game — a match
  20. court — for sport
  21. mug — a face
  22. game — wild animals
  23. march — the month
  24. game — a kind of play

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