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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: bore · game · perch · jam · bat · fork · court · ruler

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. bat — the animal
  6. bore — to drill
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. fork — in a road
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. bore — to tire
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. court — of law
  15. game — wild animals
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. court — of a king
  19. court — for sport
  20. game — a match
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. perch — the fish
  24. perch — for a bird

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