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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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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: rock · court · squash · straw · ruler · bowl · dip · cap

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. court — of a king
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. cap — a lid
  8. court — of law
  9. cap — of ice
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. squash — to crush
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. rock — a stone
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. rock — music
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. cap — a hat
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. court — for sport
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. squash — the 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