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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: ruler · object · kick · court · pound · perch · face · press

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. object — an aim
  4. court — of law
  5. face — to point toward
  6. face — part of the head
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. perch — the fish
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. face — to confront
  11. object — to protest
  12. kick — in football
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. pound — a weight
  18. court — for sport
  19. press — newspapers
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. court — of a king
  22. press — to push
  23. object — a thing
  24. press — a publisher

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