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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pit · court · nail · ruler · bass · pitcher · date · press

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. court — of a king
  4. bass — the fish
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. press — to push
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. press — newspapers
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. pit — a hole
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. date — the fruit
  18. bass — low music
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. press — a publisher
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. court — of law
  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