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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 · fan · object · pitcher · ruler · squash · branch · firm

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. branch — a division
  4. court — for sport
  5. firm — decided
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. squash — the sport
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. squash — to crush
  12. firm — a company
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. firm — steady
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. court — of law
  19. object — an aim
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. object — a thing
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. object — to protest
  24. court — of a king

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