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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: drill · cue · charge · prune · court · pitcher · ruler · band

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. cue — for pool
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. court — of a king
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. court — of law
  8. drill — the tool
  9. drill — a practice
  10. band — a music group
  11. band — a ring
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. charge — a price
  16. charge — electricity
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. court — for sport
  19. prune — to trim
  20. cue — a hint
  21. drill — army training
  22. charge — in control
  23. prune — to trim
  24. cue — a signal

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