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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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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: stand · court · pound · bore · swing · ruler · racket · stick

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. court — for sport
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. swing — in golf
  6. swing — music
  7. court — of a king
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. stand — to bear
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. swing — to play on
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. pound — a weight
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. bore — to tire
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. bore — to drill
  23. court — of law
  24. racket — a loud noise

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