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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: court · bass · ruler · drill · mouse · craft · snap · suit

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. snap — to click
  3. court — of a king
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. craft — boats
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. bass — the fish
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. suit — clothes
  13. court — for sport
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. craft — a skill
  16. drill — a practice
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. court — of law
  19. bass — low music
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. suit — to fit
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. suit — in cards
  24. drill — the tool

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