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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: suit · ruler · hide · net · bank · tear · scale · court

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. net — in sport
  3. suit — clothes
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — in cards
  8. net — after costs
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bank — of a river
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. scale — size or range
  13. bank — for money
  14. tear — from crying
  15. tear — from crying
  16. court — of a king
  17. court — for sport
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. tear — to rip
  21. scale — in music
  22. bank — for money
  23. court — of law
  24. hide — to keep secret

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