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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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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 · mouse · stand · cue · board · court · perch · tear

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. tear — from crying
  7. cue — for pool
  8. perch — the fish
  9. board — to get on
  10. tear — from crying
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. court — of law
  13. court — for sport
  14. stand — to bear
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. court — of a king
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. cue — a signal
  21. cue — a hint
  22. board — a committee
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. tear — to rip

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