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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 120 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: staff · object · ruler · sharp · dip · wake · bound · court

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. object — to protest
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. court — of law
  5. bound — tied together
  6. object — a thing
  7. staff — employees
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. wake — a trail
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bound — certain
  13. court — for sport
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. sharp — clever
  20. staff — employees
  21. bound — obliged
  22. object — an aim
  23. staff — a stick
  24. dip — to sink

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