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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: perch · track · ruler · court · ball · bowl · squash · march

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. court — for sport
  4. march — the month
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. court — of law
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. squash — the sport
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. march — the month
  12. court — of a king
  13. squash — to crush
  14. track — a path
  15. track — to keep track
  16. track — a song
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. perch — the fish
  22. march — music
  23. ball — a great time
  24. ball — a dance

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