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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: field · court · present · charge · ruler · bark · last · race

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. last — to go on
  3. court — of law
  4. last — finally
  5. race — a contest
  6. present — the time now
  7. field — for sport
  8. race — the arms race
  9. charge — electricity
  10. race — humankind
  11. court — of a king
  12. present — a gift
  13. charge — in control
  14. last — final
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. court — for sport
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. present — there
  19. field — a subject
  20. field — farmland
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. bark — to shout
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. charge — a price

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