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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.

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: pitcher · court · file · track · patient · ruler · fine · club

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. track — to keep track
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. club — for dancing
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. file — a tool
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. track — a song
  11. fine — all right
  12. file — a document
  13. court — of a king
  14. club — a group
  15. track — a path
  16. fine — high quality
  17. club — for golf
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. court — for sport
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. file — a line of people
  23. court — of law
  24. ruler — a monarch

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