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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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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: drill · bay · mouse · race · chair · court · ruler · firm

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. firm — decided
  6. race — the arms race
  7. drill — a practice
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. race — humankind
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. court — of law
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. firm — steady
  15. court — of a king
  16. chair — a leader
  17. drill — army training
  18. firm — a company
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. court — for sport
  23. race — a contest
  24. chair — a professorship

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