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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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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: mouse · stick · court · bowl · wind · fall · key · ruler

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. fall — to drop
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. court — for sport
  8. key — for a lock
  9. court — of law
  10. key — in music
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. wind — moving air
  13. fall — to drop
  14. key — the most important part
  15. fall — the season
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. wind — moving air
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — for a computer

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