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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: date · file · pitcher · season · wake · ruler · court · stand

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. court — of a king
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. court — of law
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. file — a document
  9. date — the fruit
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. file — a line of people
  14. file — a tool
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. wake — a trail
  17. season — of the year
  18. court — for sport
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. stand — to bear
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. season — in sport
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. pitcher — a jug

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