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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: ruler · fall · roll · court · firm · face · wave · jam

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. fall — to drop
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. fall — to drop
  6. face — part of the head
  7. roll — a list
  8. court — of law
  9. roll — a cake
  10. face — to point toward
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. firm — steady
  16. face — to confront
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. court — for sport
  19. firm — a company
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. fall — the season
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. court — of a king
  24. wave — of the sea

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