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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: stick · can · ruler · ball · game · cap · court · temple

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. can — to be able to
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ball — a great time
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. cap — a lid
  7. game — a match
  8. court — of a king
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. court — for sport
  11. game — wild animals
  12. can — a tin
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. cap — of ice
  18. cap — a hat
  19. can — a tin
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. ball — a dance
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. court — of law

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