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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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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: snap · court · firm · pitcher · ruler · suit · chair · fork

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. firm — decided
  3. firm — a company
  4. suit — clothes
  5. fork — in a road
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. court — of law
  16. suit — in cards
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. suit — to fit
  20. snap — to click
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. court — of a king
  23. firm — steady
  24. chair — a leader

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