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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: wax · pitch · ruler · court · bank · kid · mouse · stick

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. pitch — completely
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. bank — for money
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. kid — to tease
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. court — of law
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. court — of a king
  16. kid — child
  17. bank — of a river
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. court — for sport
  20. bank — for money
  21. wax — to grow
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. ruler — for measuring

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