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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: clip · scale · court · lie · ruler · ball · object · saw

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ball — a great time
  3. court — of a king
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. object — a thing
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. object — an aim
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. clip — a video
  11. saw — the tool
  12. scale — in music
  13. object — to protest
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. lie — to recline
  17. clip — for paper
  18. ball — a dance
  19. saw — the tool
  20. court — for sport
  21. clip — to cut
  22. court — of law
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. scale — size or range

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