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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: hand · wake · stand · stick · court · foot · face · ruler

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. court — of law
  11. wake — a trail
  12. court — for sport
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. face — part of the head
  16. foot — a measure
  17. stand — to bear
  18. face — to point toward
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. face — to confront
  21. court — of a king
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. hand — help
  24. ruler — for measuring

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