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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: mark · shower · bound · suit · spring · cue · ruler · court

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. mark — a trace
  4. suit — to fit
  5. spring — a coil
  6. shower — rain
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. cue — for pool
  9. bound — obliged
  10. cue — a signal
  11. suit — clothes
  12. cue — a hint
  13. court — for sport
  14. spring — the season
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. bound — certain
  18. court — of a king
  19. mark — a grade
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. spring — of water
  22. court — of law
  23. bound — tied together
  24. shower — to wash

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