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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: ruler · wake · spring · bore · court · cue · roll · bowl

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. roll — a cake
  4. cue — for pool
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. cue — a hint
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. spring — a coil
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. roll — a list
  11. court — for sport
  12. cue — a signal
  13. bore — to tire
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. court — of law
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. spring — the season
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. wake — a trail
  23. bore — to drill
  24. spring — of water

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