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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 120 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: perch · rock · track · ruler · court · squash · object · pit

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. perch — the fish
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. object — to protest
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. pit — a hole
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. squash — to crush
  11. pit — in a race
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. track — a path
  14. rock — a stone
  15. squash — the sport
  16. object — an aim
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. track — a song
  20. track — to keep track
  21. rock — music
  22. court — of a king
  23. object — a thing
  24. court — for sport

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