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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: rule · bass · perch · ruler · file · bowl · court · mark

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. mark — a grade
  4. mark — a trace
  5. file — a tool
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. perch — the fish
  10. file — a line of people
  11. court — of law
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. court — of a king
  16. rule — a law
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bass — low music
  19. rule — government
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. file — a document

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