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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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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 · mouse · scale · ruler · suit · bowl · kid · ground

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. court — for sport
  3. suit — in cards
  4. scale — size or range
  5. court — of law
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. ground — a position
  8. scale — in music
  9. ground — the earth
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. suit — clothes
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. kid — to tease
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. ground — crushed
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. court — of a king
  23. kid — child
  24. suit — to fit

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