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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: snap · safe · bank · ruler · ground · court · pitcher · chair

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. bank — for money
  5. ground — crushed
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. court — of law
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. court — of a king
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. snap — to click
  14. bank — for money
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. ground — a position
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. chair — a leader
  20. court — for sport
  21. ground — the earth
  22. bank — of a river
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. pitcher — a jug

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